Desire
by roxierocks
Summary: Desire. It's tearing Obi-Wan apart. Caught between obligation and emotion, he must make a choice: Qui-Gon or love. But when a routine mission turns dangerous, all their lives are threatened by a dark presence...
1. Prologue

Prologue

The planet shone like a jewel in the blanket of space. The bright green surface revealed the lush presence of vegetation, complimented by deep blue patches of water, spreading across the planet in the form of many lakes, seas, and rivers.

It startled the eyes, such colour amongst the blackness around it, an image of hope, filled with promise.

 "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Obi-Wan Kenobi remained unmoving, showing no outward sign of the shock that raced through his veins at the invasion of the voice. A split second passed, in which he mentally collected himself, and then he smiled, turning to the figure beside him. 

"Yes," he agreed softly. "It is."

They had been travelling together for seven days, and still he found he could not get used to the other's presence. It was like a smell that permeated his senses, rendering him useless no matter how hard he tried to fight it. It seemed to fill his very soul with light, as if the Force itself was residing in his heart.

The ship began its slow descent toward the planet surface, and Obi-Wan directed his attention to his agitated mind, closing his eyes in brief meditation to calm his thoughts. He concentrated on deep, even breaths, drawing focus from the living planet around him. He could feel the energy from the trees, grass, creatures, and people flowing through the air, soothing his presence.

"Obi-Wan."

He opened his eyes slowly, allowing his mind to adjust to the intrusion of light, carefully keeping his focus as he looked up at his Master.

"It is time."

Obi-Wan nodded and stood, slipping the straps of his black survival pack over his shoulders as he followed Qui-Gon to the exit of the ship, and the landing strip beyond.

The Jedi Master moved with perfect ease, his tall frame commanding, his greying hair flowing over his shoulders. He had been Obi-Wan's master for many years now, and the bond they shared was as close as that of a father and his son. 

Qui-Gon turned to survey his apprentice through sharp, blue eyes and Obi-Wan met his gaze, an unspoken message passing between them.

_Are you ready?_

_Of course, Master._

Qui-Gon smiled slightly, and turned to the creature waiting to welcome them to Seratina. The Seratiniuns were known for their pale, almost translucent skin, giving them a slightly eiree appearance. They were Humanoid in shape, but each hand held seven fingers, and their ears, clearly visible through fine, silvery hair, were pointed at the ends. The Seratiniun before them introduced himself as Cahn, placing his hands on their shoulders, and pressing his cool cheek against each of theirs in the Seratiniun way of greeting.

"I am Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn, and this is my apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi." 

Qui-Gon had stepped forward, but hesitated a second as he glanced at the pair beside him, before continuing. "This is Jedi Knight Shara Estaan and her apprentice, Leyana Raeimi."

Obi-Wan tried not to turn as Qui-Gon said her name, but his gaze flickered to her figure, barely a metre from his own.

_Concentrate _he told himself sternly.

"We are happy to receive you on our planet," said Cahn, his voice low and soft, a soothing sound. "We are very concerned about these threats, and the safety of our people."

Obi-Wan ran over the facts of the mission in his mind, determined not to let her presence distract him.

The people of Seratina had for centuries been the victims of a fatal disease that struck their planet annually, leaving death and destruction in its wake. For so long the cause of this disease had been a mystery, and the people lived in fear of the month in which the sun would be at its hottest, and the disease would ravage the citizens. The skin of every Seratiniun contained a pale bluish-purple pigment which not only gave colour, but formed a sort of barrier under their skin, protecting them from the heat of the planet's sun. Because of this, Seratiniun scientists had ruled out the possibility that the increase of the suns's rays in the particular month of the disease was the cause.  

However, after years of unsuccessful research there had finally been a breakthrough when it was discovered that the particular temperature of heat in this one month caused the pigment to weaken, and let in rays that were fatal to a Seratiniun's body. Any higher or lower, the pigment was fine. It was just one particular temperature.

Unfortunately, temperatures on Seratina were unusually stable and throughout a month regular, with little or no changes, meaning there was no relief from the heat during this time.

Scientists had discovered a way to strengthen the pigment without changing the natural levels, enabling Serantiniuns to take a medicine for just one month, making the difference to their lives.

The medicine was not completely finished and still needed to be tested, but the scientists were unwilling to use it on their people, incase it had dangerous side effects.

It had been proposed to test the substance on Teeltas, a common animal on the planet whose skin also held the protective pigment, but the team of scientists working on the medicine had received several terrorist attacks from an anonymous animal rights group, determined on sabotaging the scientists' plan. The ruler of the planet had requested Jedi assistance to supervise the testing of the Teeltas, which would take place during the next week.

To Obi-Wan it seemed like a straightforward mission, but Yoda had insisted two Jedi teams would be needed. The small Jedi master was renowned for his wisdom, and although Obi-Wan didn't disagree with his insight, he sometimes had to admit he wondered exactly where it was coming from. All they had to do was oversee some simple tests. 

_What could go wrong?_


	2. Dark Dreams

The stars spread out like a vast blanket, clear and sharp through the cool night air.

Qui-Gon Jinn stood on the small balcony outside their quarters in the Seratiniun Hall of Negotiations, where he and the other Jedi were staying. The balcony showed Qui-Gon a breathtaking view of Seratina's only city, Sera, lit up by a thousand individual lights. It was a beautiful planet. Cool and calm with lush landscape and dramatic buildings. Qui-Gon could easily imagine himself living somewhere like this, somewhere so peaceful.

Yet amidst the quiet serenity inside himself, there was a stirring of unease.  

"The mission at hand should be simple enough," he murmured to the night sky. That was not what was troubling him, he doubted there would be any problems with the tests, all should go smoothly in that area. No, it was the other Master/Padawan team that was bothering him. He couldn't quite place what it was, something niggling at the back of his mind…

Qui-Gon shook his head to clear his thoughts. _Don't centre on your anxieties. Keep your concentration here and now, where it belongs._ He smiled to himself. How many times had he quoted similar sayings to Obi-Wan? _Focus. Live for the present moment. Keep the living Force in mind. _It seemed he needed to follow a little of his own advice.

A small cry interrupted his musings, and Qui-Gon turned, peering through the open glass doors toward his Padawan. Obi-Wan lay tangled amongst his sheets, his lips open as another cry escaped them, thrashing in the throes of a desperate nightmare.

Qui-Gon could feel the boy's anxiety, emanating from him in great waves that rolled through the air, invading Qui-Gon's mind. He crossed over to the boy in five easy steps, placing a large, cool hand on Obi-Wan's forehead. 

For a moment Obi-Wan stilled, his features scrunched with his pain.

"Master," he whispered.

"Shhh," murmured Qui-Gon. "I am here Obi-Wan. It is just a nightmare."

Although Obi-Wan's eyes remained closed, Qui-Gon's words reached deep inside him, soothing the nightmare and enabling sleep to take over. Qui-Gon stood by his side, listening to the deep, even breaths his Padawan now drew.

Although he was now nineteen and well on the way to becoming a man, Qui-Gon still saw Obi-Wan as the lost thirteen year old he had taken for an apprentice six years ago. Obi-Wan had grown. He had become a skilled fighter, a wise person, and had developed a good connection to the Force. He had become more determined, taller and more handsome, the blue-green eyes constantly kindled with a light of enthusiasm. Qui-Gon knew the time for his being an apprentice was almost over, and the time to become a Jedi Knight was drawing nearer. Part of Qui-Gon was immensely proud when he thought of this, but another part of him was filled with anxiety. He was like a father who had watched his son grow up, and was now unwilling to let him go. He knew these feelings were selfish, and yet he could not shake them.

"As the apprentice lets go, so must the Master," he said softly.

Yes, he would have to let go. He would have to watch Obi-Wan leave and become his own Master. 

"But not yet. Not yet."

***

Leyana Raeimi awoke with a small gasp, her eyes wide and heart pounding, as if she'd just run a marathon. She was sitting upright on her sleep couch, staring into an impenetrable darkness that pressed in around her, suffocating her as it wound its way around her lungs. For a moment panic invaded as she failed to breathe, desperately choking on the thick air, but she closed her eyes forcing several deep, calming breaths. With every exhalation, the tight band of panic around her chest loosened a little, and when she opened her eyes the darkness was no longer heavy and blinding, but lit by the soft glow of stars filtering through the glass doors.

The lingering details of her nightmare filled her mind, poisoning it in great, black streaks. It was the same dream she'd been having for months now, always the same, not a detail out of place.

She would be walking down a corridor in The Jedi Temple, nothing unusual or scary about that, except sometimes the corridor was just a normal corridor, and sometimes it went on forever, the pale marble floor stretching out in front of her like a river, the doors on either side identical. The dream never changed. She would walk down this corridor filled with a sense of impending doom, knowing something terrible was about to happen, but unable to stop it, unable to change the dream. Everytime she reached the main Temple doors, she noticed the way the sunlight splayed across the marble, creating beautiful, intricate patterns. Everytime she would walk through that door, onto the landing platform beyond. 

And everytime she felt it. A shift, something she couldn't really describe. It was as if it was hanging onto the edge of her mind, skirting her thoughts to keep its identity secret. She wasn't sure if it was a thought, or a physical change, but something happened. Afterwards, when she was awake, she would try to focus on this change, but the thoughts slipped right through her fingers. It was extremely frustrating, because she knew this…thing was the key to her dream. The key to unlocking exactly what the dream was all about. Because after this shift, this change, came the pain. The most immense, excruciating pain she had ever imagined. It was just a flash, but it seemed to shoot straight from her heart, sending great, rolling waves across the rest of her body. There was something she could sense in this pain, almost like an emotion of aching sadness, or fear, or hate, but before she could feel more than a second she would wake up. It happened every night, without fail, and the memory of that pain followed Leyana round like a black cloud, lingering in the back of her mind.

She sighed and shook her head, her long, golden hair hanging in loose waves down her back. _Too many sleepless nights,_ she thought bitterly to herself. At the Jedi Temple it didn't matter as much, but whilst on a mission she needed to be alert, not fighting exhaustion. And she wasn't quite sure why, but this mission seemed more important to her than others she had been on. Perhaps it was because of the conflict of the situation. Her sympathies lay heavily with both parties: the Seratiniuns were dying, it was important they find a cure. But the animal rights groups were only trying to protect the Teeltas, and all nature is sacred.

_Or perhaps,_ she thought grimly, _it is because I'll have to work with the legendary Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice._

The thought made her more nervous than she was willing to admit, because everyone at the Temple knew what a good Master/Padawan team they were. They had behind them a long list of successful missions, and their bond was one of the strongest known to the Jedi.

Of course, Leyana had an extremely strong bond with her own Master. She had been Shara Estaan's Padawan since she was only nine years old, and the ten years they had spent together had been filled with fun, fond memories. Without even trying, Leyana could sense her Master's presence, easy and restful in sleep. She liked the knowledge that Shara was always there, within close reach even if not physically. It gave her strength and comfort.

The thing that was troubling her seemed slightly ridiculous, and she would never confess it to anyone, but she felt what she thought of as 'bad vibes' whenever the two Master/Padawan teams were together. Qui-Gon and Shara seemed tense and wary around each other, and Obi-Wan had barely spoken two words to her throughout the entire journey, even though it had lasted a week. Leyana did not see why Yoda had insisted two Jedi teams should be sent on a routine mission. 

She remembered her friend Siri had once been on a mission with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, because the council had decided Siri and her Master, Adi Gallia, could learn from the other's partnership. 

Her heart contracted slightly. Surely that couldn't be why she and Shara were here, could it? Their relationship was fine, their bond strong and clear and their communication open. They were fine.

As if to prove her point, a stirring in the back of her mind told her Shara was awake. She could feel the other's presence shift into awareness, and felt her Master immediately casting around for Leyana herself.

"Padawan?" Shara's voice was soft, floating on the night air around them, a calm, gentle sound. Leyana smiled and turned to face her mentor, her sharp gaze fixing on the other's face. Shara's mother had been from a planet named Laketar, and she'd passed the deep purple eyes and pale skin the Laketarans were known for onto her daughter. Shara's hair was blacker than midnight, and she wore it pinned to her head in a complicated pattern of swirls and coils. Only those who were very privileged had seen her with her hair loose, cascading onto her shoulders and making her appear younger, and softer.

Leyana studied her Master for a moment, noting the way her striking appearance leant her an almost regal air. Shara smiled. "Your full of thoughts, I can feel them."

 Leyana nodded. "I was thinking about your mother," she replied. Shara didn't need to question her meaning; she could sense the direction her Padawan's thoughts had taken. There wasn't anything they kept from each other. 

_Except the dreams._

Leyana carefully constructed a mental shield around that thought. There was no need for her Master to know Leyana was having a reoccurring nightmare. Unlike her apprentice, Shara didn't place much faith in dreams or visions, but Leyana felt there was always some kind of message in the subconscious. This dream, she thought, was a kind of warning, something, perhaps, she couldn't prevent. It would explain why the dream was always the same, why she could never change its direction. 

"Do you think the mission will go smoothly?"  she asked, afraid to linger in her thoughts.

Through the dimness, Shara looked pensive. "I hope so," she said finally. "But I have a feeling something unexpected might happen, and not a good unexpected either." Leyana nodded, absorbing the information. Her Master didn't usually take much notice of unexplained feelings, so when she did Leyana had learned to listen.

"I hope you're wrong," she whispered, knowing from past experience that it was unlikely.

Shara nodded gravely. "So am I Padawan. But let us not dwell on that which we do not understand. I think the most important thing right now is for us both to be refreshed and alert for tomorrow."

Leyana nodded and lay back onto the cool, white sheets. She waited, listening to the night sounds around her, as her Master's breathing became slower and steadier, signalling sleep. Her eyes turned to the night sky, tracing the intricate patterns the stars cast against the black.

"The Alayarey System," she whispered. "Lowlen's Point. The Infrad Galaxy." Her eyelids began to droop. "Elexir's Moons. The Greenbelt Constellation. Reginon's System. The Lucicrey…" Her voice trailed off as she slipped into a dreamless sleep.

Outside the stars shone still and unmoving, the quiet before the storm.

***

A single figure cloaked in black slipped over the high stone wall. Landing safely on the padded lawn below, it moved swiftly across the grounds, approaching the huge, mansion-like house with stealth. 

It stopped. It listened.

Silence.

The figure crept forward, blending with the night time shadows, almost invisible as it withdrew a small, square package from under its clothing. It laid the package gently on the grand doorstep, then flew back across the lawns and up the wall, resting on the top, gazing back at the house.

Silently it held up one gloved hand, showing all five fingers. The thumb came down into the palm of the hand, then the index finger, then the middle, followed by the ring and finally the last. 

For a second there was silence, then the black fist was illuminated as the house behind it exploded into the night sky.

***


	3. Fatal Games

Thanks Ziptango. Your reviews were very encouraging! 

Obi-Wan leapt out of bed as a wave of pain pulled him from sleep. His lightsaber was shining in his hand before his eyes were fully open, his mind alert and aware of sudden danger. Several paces away Qui-Gon stood in a fighting stance, his own lightsaber held defensively in front of him, perfectly still in the dark.

The two Jedi did not need to look at each other to know they had both felt the same thing: death. They rushed out into the corridor, lightsabers held high, The Force guiding them through the maze of the unfamiliar building. From a doorway to their right streaked two figures, their weapons a blue and purple blur as they raced towards Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. Without speaking, the four ran on together, reaching their destination precious minutes later. 

Qui-Gon hammered on the black door with one large fist, impatience getting the better of the usually calm Jedi Master. A moment later Cahn appeared, his silver eyes wide with fear.

"Masters," he cried, his soft voice high and agitated. "I have just received word…an attack."

 Shara nodded. "We felt it," she said. "But we do not know who was killed."

Cahn looked at her, tears glistening in his moon-like orbs. "The Governor," he whispered. "The Governor's house was blown up. His wife, his children…everyone destroyed."

Shock raced through Obi-Wan. The Governor? Surely no rights groups were that bold? And yet it had happened. The Governor, the man who held ultimate power over Seratina, was dead.

"This is serious indeed." Qui-Gon's voice was grave. "We must go there at once." He hesitated, looking at Shara and Leyana doubtfully. Whilst Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had slept in their Jedi robes, the other two were still in their night clothes. Obi-Wan fought an inappropriate thought as he took in Leyana's sheer white shirt, visible through the opening of her brown cloak. 

Qui-Gon raised a discreet eyebrow in his Padawan's direction which Obi-Wan chose to ignore, focusing instead on the marble floor beneath him.

"You go on," Shara said, oblivious to the private exchange between Master and Padawan. "Leyana and I will follow shortly." Qui-Gon nodded his assent, and he swept down the corridor, Obi-Wan and Cahn close behind.

 "I will have a security guard escort you to the Governor's premises," the Seratiniun said. "You will travel by Dingen. It is the fastest way."

"Is the Governor's house far?" asked Qui-Gon, without slowing his pace. 

Cahn shook his head. "Not far, but speed is of the essence." He led them down a twisting staircase into a large stone room filled with round, bright green transportation vehicles. They reminded Obi-Wan of floaters, but with a glass covering. Cahn showed them into the nearest one, calling out in Seratiniun as he moved. Moments later another Seratiniun appeared, noticeably bigger than Cahn, wearing pale green clothes, several weapons strapped to his body.

"This is Teeota," Cahn explained, gesturing Teeota into the Dingen. "He is my head of security. I hope you will find his presence useful." 

Qui-Gon bowed slightly. "We thank you," he said, pushing Obi-Wan into the peculiar transport before him.

"I will follow as soon as I can," Cahn said, "But there are things I must see to here first."

"Of course," replied Qui-Gon. "We quite understand."

Cahn nodded, then gave some instructions to Teeota in Seratiniun, before stepping away from the Dingen. No sooner had he moved than the Dingen's engines roared to life, and the little green circle shot into the city at an alarming speed.

"Master," said Obi-Wan, turning to Qui-Gon with a frown on his young face. "Could it be there is someone else at work here, other than the protest groups? It seems they have more to lose than gain by killing the Governor."

Qui-Gon blinked, surprised his Padawan had got to the heart of the issue, and Qui-Gon's own thoughts, so quickly. "It is an odd move," he admitted quietly. "Resorting to murder will only create more opposition against their campaign. Without support they cannot hope to gain any sort of victory. But who else could have reason for wanting to be rid of Governor Thelos?"

"Perhaps," said Obi-Wan slowly, "Whoever it is is trying to make it look as though the protest groups killed the Governor, to discredit their cause." Qui-Gon glanced at him, unable to cover his surprise at his apprentice's sharp mind. "Perhaps," he agreed softly. There was no more time to continue their discussion, as at that moment the Dingen came to an abrupt halt, jerking Obi-Wan out of his seat. Qui-Gon reached out a quick hand to steady him, and Obi-Wan sent his Master a grateful look. They climbed carefully out of the vehicle, and glanced around, eyes adjusting to the scene of horror around them.

There was death everywhere. It hung in the air, a heavy stench, circling with the smoke that rose from the ruins of the Governor's house. Seratiniuns ran back and forth, cries of grief and rage flying through the night, sirens wailing, lights flashing. Obi-Wan closed his eyes for a moment, seeking composure against the wave of anger that swelled towards those responsible. When he opened them again, he found Qui-Gon looking at him, an unspoken question hanging delicately in the air. Obi-Wan nodded to show he was all right, and the two Jedi strode forward, beginning the task of searching for survivors amongst the debris.

***

Leyana dressed quickly, throwing on her Jedi robes with little regard to her appearance. Within moments she and Shara were moving swiftly down the corridor towards the clear glass lifts located on each floor. They were to meet Cahn in Conference Room Three on the Ground Floor. There he would give them any information he had managed to gather in the last ten minutes, and supply them with transport to the Governor's house.

Leyana could hardly believe this was happening. They had barely been there five minutes, and things were already being blown up. She had felt the deaths of the Governor and his family. She had felt their pain and fear and shock, and she struggled to control her anger as she followed Shara to the lifts. _How could someone do that? How? Senselessly murder another human being?_ Because, as far as she could see, the murder was senseless. What could the protest groups hope to gain by killing the Governor? Their cause would be abandoned, they would lose all their support. 

"It makes no sense," she muttered.

"I know," agreed Shara, able, as always, to understand her Padawan's thoughts. "The protest groups have too much to lose to attempt such a brash move. There must be someone else involved."

"Yes, but who?"

Shara turned troubled, indigo eyes toward her apprentice. "I don't know," she admitted.

The lift arrived with a soft 'whoosh', and the two stepped hastily into the cylinder shaped car suspended in front of them. The door closed behind them, and a cool voice asked "Floor please?"

"Ground Floor," said Shara, glancing subconsciously toward the ceiling. There was a silence, then "Going down." and the lift began a smooth descent. 

For a moment Leyana said nothing, but then turned to face her Master, wondering exactly how to voice her worries. "Shara," she began cautiously. "If there is someone else involved, another...presence…why can't we-" she broke off, a small cry of shock escaping her lips as they were plunged into sudden darkness. The lift stopped, suspended between floors, motionless.

"Something tells me this isn't a routine malfunction," Shara commented dryly. "We'll have to climb out of the top and up to the nearest doors." She glanced at her Padawan for any objections, but Leyana only smiled in reply. She always did like an adventure.

Shara boosted her up to the ceiling of the car, and Leyana quickly opened the glass panel, hoisting her body through the opening. She reached a hand back down, and a moment later felt her Master's grip, carefully pulling her up too. They stood for a moment, letting their eyes adjust to the darkness of the lift shaft. Shara peered through the gloom, sharp gaze settling on the outline of a door, some twenty metres above. The side of the shaft was perfectly smooth, offering no footholds.

"We could use our suction guns," suggested Leyana. "But on second thought, they might not stick to the glass." Shara nodded, absorbing the information as she looked for another possibility.

"There." She was pointing to a spot about fifteen metres above them, where a small glass ledge jutted out from the otherwise seamless shaft. It was only thirty centimetres in width, but it was enough to get a firm footing on. 

"Can you make it?" she asked her Padawan. 

Leyana smiled. "I can make it," she replied.

"Good. You can go first, that way if you fall I can catch you."

Leyana raised an eyebrowat her Master, detecting the hint of a smile through her words. "Well I'm glad I'll have something soft to land on," she teased. 

She closed her eyes, gathering much needed concentration, and wrapped The Force around her like a blanket. She felt it energise her body, focusing on the muscles in her legs, giving her extra strength.

She jumped.

For a few pure moments, she felt like she was flying. Weightless, she soared into the air, arms pinned to her sides, gravity left far behind. She could sense the ledge in the dark, knew exactly where it was and how she would land: right foot turned out, left on tiptoe, hands pressed against the glass wall, steadying her. She glanced up at the doors, only five metres above now, within reach. Again she gathered The force, sending it toward the doors in an arrow of steel. It should of sprung them apart with no trouble, but the doors remained unmoving, unopened. She frowned and tried again, this time harder, pushing as much life as she could towards those doors. Nothing.

"Is there a problem?" came Shara's dry tone from below.

"The doors are stuck," Leyana called.

"Stuck?" repeated Shara, an obvious note of disbelief in her voice.

"Yes, stuck. It's almost as if something is blocking them, stopping The Force from taking effect."

Before Shara could reply the lights flickered, and hope rose in Leyana's chest, only to be dashed when the feeble flicker diminished, and darkness ensued. But the lift shaft was vibrating slightly, and to the Jedi's horror, a slight whirring noise echoed against the glass.

The lift was once again active. But it was moving upwards, not downwards.

Leyana leapt from the ledge onto the top of the car beside her Master. Shara shot her a grim look, as the car gathered speed. 

The Jedi didn't need a light to see the end of shaft coming closer, ready to crush them to death.

***

"Here. Over here."

Qui-Gon ran in the direction of Obi-Wan's cry, The Force guiding him easily to his Padawan. Obi-Wan was kneeling on the grass, bent over a small, still figure. It was a Seratiniun girl, barely six years old by the look of her. Her skin was black from the explosion, cuts covered her arms and legs, and a large gash in her forehead leaked blood.

Her eyes fluttered slightly as Qui-Gon knelt beside her, opening wide with fear.

"Daddy," she whispered, her young voice hoarse from smoke inhalation. 

"It's okay," Qui-Gon murmured laying a cool hand on her forehead. "What is your name?"

"Rosarie," said the girl. "I want my Daddy."

"I know," replied Qui-Gon, his voice soft. "But he's not here right now. I need your help Rosarie."

The girl regarded him with wide, silver eyes. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I am Qui-Gon Jinn. I have come to help your planet." The girl nodded and closed her eyes, as if she had no strength left to keep them open. 

"Rosarie," Qui-Gon's voice was gentle, hiding the urgency he was feeling. "Where were you when the house exploded?"

"Outside," came the fearful reply. "I shouldn't have gone, but I just wanted to say goodnight to Midnight. Please don't be angry."

"I'm not angry," Qui-Gon reassured her. "I need to know if you saw anything unusual. It's very important."

"There was a man," said Rosarie, her eyes still closed. "He was dressed in black. I hid from him. I thought Daddy had sent him. He was carrying a package."

Qui-Gon glanced at Obi-Wan. _A package bomb?_

"What sort of package?" he asked.

"A brown one." Rosarie's voice was growing fainter. "I only wanted to say goodnight to Midnight. Do you think Daddy will be angry?"

Qui-Gon smiled sadly, gently stroking the girl's silvery hair. "No," he whispered. "He won't be angry."

Rosarie nodded, eyes still closed. She took one last, shuddering breath, then lay still in Qui-Gon's arms.

***

Shara bent over the panel through which they had originally come, trying to ignore the panic bells ringing in her head. It was stuck fast.

"It won't budge," she cried.

"There's no other way out." Leyana's voice held a definite edge of fear in it. "We're trapped!"

The lift was gathering speed at an alarming rate, carrying them closer and closer to the top of the shaft.

"Stay calm," called Shara. "There must be another way." But she could barely hear her own voice over the rush of air as they sped upwards. They passed set after set of glass doors, the building dark beyond, and Shara waved her hand frantically at each one, willing The Force to aid her. But each set remained closed as the lift continued it's fatal journey.

Shara gave a cry and flung herself to the ground, pushing Leyana before her, trying desperately to protect her Padawan from their monstrous fate. She braced herself, waiting for the pain, for the crunch of metal, for death.

Nothing happened.

It took her a moment to realise the car was no longer moving. They were barely half a metre from the top of the shaft, so close they could touch it with their fingers.

"We've stopped." Leyana's voice was barely more than a whisper, laced with disbelief. "We've stopped," she said again.

Shara gave a relieved laugh, and carefully rolled onto her back. "That was a little too close," she commented wryly. "Now to get out of-" Her stomach lurched as the lift roared to life again. 

Leyana let out a gasp as it suddenly dropped from beneath them. For a moment they were suspended in mid air, then landed back on the car with a painful thump. Panic raced through Shara's veins. It was too fast, they would never make it.

"The ledges," she cried desperately. "Leyana, the ledges." She saw Leyana glance at the tiny glass ledges beneath each set of doors, whizzing past them as they dropped down.

Ready? 

Leyana nodded. Both Jedi could sense the next ledge, coming at them in a spilt second.

Now! 

They reached out exactly the same time, fingers curling around the smooth glass, grips like death. The lift fell away beneath them, and they waited, hanging in the dark, for the crash as it hit the bottom.

It never came.

Peering through the darkness, Shara could just about make out the car about a metre from the bottom of the shaft.

"Someone's playing with us," she said, realisation dwaning.

"Fun game," her apprentice replied sarcastically.

Shara waved a hand at the doors above them, expecting the mysterious resistance. They opened easily.

"Let's get out of here," she muttered. "Before the phantom lift strikes again." She leapt through the open doors above, Leyana close behind.

As they stopped and peered down the lift shaft the lights flickered suddenly back to life. The two Jedi became suddenly very still as they saw clearly what fate could have befallen them. It was a long, long way down. Shara glanced upward and noted the several long, deadly spikes reaching down a metre from the top of the shaft. Leyana shuddered, following her gaze.

"Whoever is playing this game doesn't have much of a sense of humour," she whispered. 

"No," agreed Shara gravely. "They don't."

***

Qui-Gon sighed and ran a dirty hand across his forehead, wiping away a small pool of sweat. He had been working hard to help the Seratiniuns clear some of the debris from the explosion, in the vain hope that there might be survivors. The sky was slowly turning to a pale blue, signalling the star of the day.

He glanced up as Obi-Wan appeared, reading from a data sheet, his face unusually blank.

"Rosario Thelos," he said. "Youngest of seven children. Jamilla Thelos was only sixteen. She was the oldest."

"They are all gone?" asked Qui-Gon.

Obi-Wan nodded. "Along with Reeta Thelos, seven servants, three of whom were married with children and the Governor himself." He lowered the paper, grief written on his features. "Who could do this Qui-Gon? Who could murder innocent children?"

Qui-Gon stood, brushing his hands on his tunic. "Unfortunately, many people."

Obi-Wan stared at the still smoking ruins of the house. "Midnight was her pony," he said softly. "She was saying goodnight to her pony." Qui-Gon laid a comforting hand on his Padawan's shoulder, and for a moment neither of them spoke.

"Have Shara and Leyana arrived?" Obi-Wan asked, scanning the grounds as he spoke. Qui-Gon nodded. "Yes, they ran into a little lift trouble." At Obi-Wan's questioning glance he shook his head. "I'll explain later. Shara wanted to see if she could find anything left of that package, though I have a feeling it will have been totally destroyed in the explosion."

No sooner had he spoken, the other Jedi appeared both, like Qui-Gon, rumpled and dirty. Shara was holding a twisted lump of metal in one hand, beaming as if it was the most wonderful thing she'd ever seen.

"I've found it," she announced, holding up the melted lump. "The bomb. And get this, it's an _ion_ bomb."

Qui-Gon blinked, wondering for a moment if he'd misheard. "It's a what?"

"An ion bomb," she repeated. "Qui-Gon, you know what this means."

"Yes," he said softly. "I do."

"Well then perhaps you'd like to tell us," Leyana said bluntly, "since we don't have a clue." Qui-Gon glanced at her in surprise. She was rather…forward.

"It means," he replied heavily, "that this bomb was imported from off planet, since there is no possible way the ionite used could have been found on Seratina."

"Why not?" asked Obi-Wan.

"Because the temperature at the planet core is too low to form ionite," explained Shara. "It's scientifically impossible for ionite to form here. And since I doubt the Seratiniuns would go to the trouble, not to mention the danger, of importing an ion bomb when chalk bombs are easily obtainable here, it's probable that someone else is involved." She looked thoughtful. "I expect they didn't think any trace would survive. Or maybe they're just stupid."

"So there _is_ a third party." Leyana frowned slightly. "This definitely complicates things."

Qui-Gon sighed, suddenly feeling tired. "We had better get back," he said. "Take this to Cahn, see what he thinks." Shara nodded in agreement, and the two Masters began to walk toward their Dingens. Qui-Gon stopped, frowning as he realised Obi-Wan was not following. The younger Jedi stood a little way off, gazing blankly at the scene of destruction around them. Qui-Gon was about to go to him, but Shara placed a gentle hand on is arm, restraining him. He shot her a look of annoyance. "He's my Padawan," he said. 

"Then you should know the time to let others play a part," she replied, staring pointedly at her own Padawan, who was a few feet from Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon hesitated, unwilling to let another comfort his apprentice.

"It's the first step to letting go," Shara said softly. He stilled, wondering exactly how this women could depict his thoughts. 

"I know how it feels," she said. "You don't want to let him go. But you have to Qui-Gon. It's the way it has to be." She tugged his arm slightly. "They can find their own way."

It was the truth, Qui-Gon could see it. He nodded, and allowed her to lead him away.

***

An odd feeling overwhelmed Obi-Wan, stinging his eyes with tears, sapping his muscles of their strength.

_All this pain, all this death. And for what? For what?_

"I don't want to feel like this," he said softly. "But I can't help it."

Leyana did not speak, but he could feel her presence.

"Does it make me weak?" he asked softly.

"No. It makes you human."

"I'm not human. I'm a Jedi."

She gave a soft laugh. "Obi-Wan, all Jedi are human."

 There was a pause as he considered this. Yes, all Jedi were human. Even Qui-Gon succumbed to his emotions sometimes. When Tahl died…

"Well," said Leyana suddenly. "I mean not _all_ Jedi are human. Your friend Bant's a Mon Calimarian, and Master Yoda's a…well, I'm not actually sure what Master Yoda is, but he's definitely not human. He's green." She glanced at him for confirmation, then blushed.

"Sorry," she said. "This isn't exactly helping, is it?" 

Obi-Wan grinned wryly. "Actually, you'd be surprised."

She smiled, turning to face him, and an entirely new feeling overcame him, as if someone had drenched him in emotion. They stared at each other for a moment, then her hand reached out to him, almost as if she didn't notice. His breath caught in his throat as her finger brushed his cheek, the softest touch imaginable. Time seemed suspended.

She coughed and dropped her hand, cheeks flaming. There was an awkward silence, then she muttered, "Well, we'd better go." He nodded quickly, and they walked quickly towards the remaining Dingen, determinedly avoiding each other's eyes, unable to forget the tenderness of a finger brushing a cheek.  

***

The four Jedi retired to their quarters for a few hours sleep, exhausted by the night's events. Leyana changed from her sweaty, soot stained robed, pulling the cool, soft whiteness of her nightshirt over her head, the material settling against her golden skin.

She was drawing back the crisp white sheets of her sleep couch when an unexpected flash of colour caught her eye. A piece of yellow paper lay innocently folded on her pillow. She hesitated a moment, then reached for it, reading the message inside.

Did you enjoy the elevator ride? 

***


	4. Walking The Line

Thanks again Ziptango! Some of the italics aren't working, so I'm puting these words in these brackets. So if you see that, just pretend it's italics!

_She is walking down the corridor again. The identical doors pass on either side of her. She stares straight ahead. She reaches her destination, noticing vaguely how the sunlight casts pretty patterns across the marble floor. Her feet are cold. She steps out into the light. For a moment time is frozen as the sunlight streams across her golden skin. She tilts her head back, and a sudden weightlessness overcomes her, a sudden emptiness in her heart. Pain explodes through her body, and she falls to the ground as everything goes black. _

Leyana woke with a cry, the dream curling around her senses like smoke. She choked, desperate for air, trying to break free from the imaginary hold.

"It's just a dream." Her own voice was soothing, bringing her into the moment, her senses once again alert.

It was day. The sun poured through the glass doors at the end of the room, bathing her in gentle warmth. Across the room, Shara's bed was neatly made, the sheets folded back, the Jedi Knight nowhere in sight. Everything was normal.

_Did you enjoy the elevator ride?_

Leyana's eyes were draw to the small piece of paper on her bedside table, the words echoing in her mind.

_Did you enjoy the elevator ride?_

In a sudden burst of anger she snatched at the paper, hurling it across the room. It landed face up, the black taunt mocking her against its sunny background.

_Did you enjoy the elevator ride?_

She wanted to rise above the sudden fear those words induced, push it from her mind, show how strong she was. But the feelings threatened to overwhelm her: fear, uncertainty, anger…

_"All Jedi are human."_

Her own words from the previous night echoed through her mind. They were able to give Obi-Wan comfort, but could she find that same solace? Sighing, she pulled her brown Jedi cloak over her nightshirt, picking up the unpleasant note and placing it in her pocket. Perhaps she could. Perhaps she could seek her solace in another.

***

Obi-Wan Kenobi stared out over the city of Sera, the natural beauty marred by the blackened ruins of Governor Thelos's house. He had been deep in meditation for over an hour now, but still could not quite banish the remaining grief and anger. It was the little girl, he knew, who caused him to hold on to such feelings. The memory of her silver eyes dimming as the life vanished from them, the helplessness as he stood and watched, unable to save her. It was so like his dream…

A quite knocking invaded his thoughts, and he turned, surprised at the prospect of a visitor. He rose and made his way across the room, hesitating for a moment in front of the door. Closing his eyes he tested The Force, but felt no threat, only light. Pure, golden light.

She looked afraid, her eyes tired, her hair limp. She was dressed only in her hooded cloak, wrapped protectively round her body. She looked beautiful.

Obi-Wan shook his head, trying to extinguish the thought as he stepped back to let her in. When she spoke it was haltingly, avoiding his gaze, apprehension on her face.

"I'm sorry," her voice was so soft. "I…I  didn't know where else to go."

He frowned, taking a step towards her. "Is something wrong?" She nodded, and drew something yellow from her pocket, holding it out to him wordlessly.

He blinked as he stared at the words, confusion giving way to disgust. "Have you shown Shara?" 

She shook her head. "When I woke she had already gone. I came straight here." Her lips tightened in sudden anger. "Who would do something like that? Who would be so cruel?"

"The same kind of person who would blow up a house full of children," he said quietly.

She looked at him, and he sensed her sudden stillness, anger forgotten. "Where's Qui-Gon?"

"He left with Cahn early this morning, they were going to get the bomb analysed."

Leyana nodded. "Maybe Shara's gone with them."

"Maybe." 

An uncomfortable silence followed, both their minds unconsciously remembering the way her finger had brushed his cheek.

_Such tenderness. And sweetness. A tiny gesture, and yet…_ Obi-Wan was so confused. He knew these feelings were wrong. Attachment was strictly forbidden in the Jedi Order. He had no place in his life for such desires.

But he couldn't forget the fire in his cheek, or the look in her eyes.

He moved over to the balcony, trying unsuccessfully to escape his thoughts. She moved with him, the slight swish of her cloak against the floor magnified to his ears. He could hear her breathing, sense the slight rise and fall of her chest. Loose himself in the golden depths of her eyes…

"What's it like? On Levitãs?"     

She looked at him in slight surprise, but he detected pleasure at his interest. Not many Jedi visited the planets they were born on. Leyana, he knew, had had a mission there with Shara a few years ago, and his curiosity about the planet had grown ever since. Leyana had always been a mystery at the Temple, although they had many classes together. She was top of every test, her fighting technique flawless, and her beauty…her beauty was legendary amongst the Padawans.

Glowing golden skin, silky golden hair, sparkling golden eyes. She was of The Meliorem, The People of the Light, and, true to their name, they seemed to radiate light, an embodiment of the sun itself. If Leyana was anything to go by, Obi-Wan imagined Levitãs to be a very beautiful place indeed.

"It's unimaginable," she said softly. "Everything is light and bright and beautiful. There's no sadness, or pain, just beauty." 

He knew at that moment she was far away, back on Levitãs, her birthplace. Perhaps even wondering how her life would be if she had not become a Jedi, if she had had a different destiny.

"The sky is blue, and the trees are green. The sun is always shining…Lesta intãyrim esæynar."

He glanced at her. "What does that mean?"

"A place like heaven," she replied.

"In Meliorem?"

She nodded, staring out over the city, still so far away. "It's funny," she said. "I have spent less than a year of my whole life on Levitãs, but during that brief visit I knew. I just knew that was where I came from, where my roots are."

"I don't remember where I came from," Obi-Wan said softly. "I don't really remember my parents, or my brother. But some things remind me, a smell, a sound, an image." He paused, then said even more softly, "Perhaps it's better that way. I am satisfied with what I have, there is no need for more."

Leyana reached a hand up to her neck, cradling the pendant she wore. "I don't wish for more," she said. "I am contented, and proud to be a Jedi. I believe this is the right path for me. I'm glad I had the chance to see Levitãs, and I hope to go back there some day, but it has not made me wish things were different."

She turned to look at him suddenly, her eyes surprisingly serious.

"I'm glad you are here Obi-Wan Kenobi."

He was warmed by this unexpected confession, touched by her raw emotion.

"I'm glad too."

Her hand moved hesitantly on the balcony rail, hovering over his. He reached for her, a spark of warmth humming across their skin where it touched. A tension flared between them as they sought each other's eyes, and Obi-Wan knew they were standing on the edge, all it would take was one more step…

The door burst open behind them, and Obi-Wan instantly recognised Qui-Gon's footsteps. The two Padawan sprung apart, grateful for the curtain that partially hid them from view.

"Obi-Wan," called Qui-Gon.

Obi-Wan swallowed, fighting to keep his tone level. "Out here Master."

Qui-Gon strode onto the balcony, greeting Leyana with a quick smile. "I have some news," he announced. "The casing used on the bomb has been traced to an iron works on the far east of the planet. We may be able to find out who it was made for."

Leyana frowned. "I don't understand. I thought you said the bomb had to be imported from off planet."

"The ionite had to be imported," Qui-Gon explained. "However, this bomb was definitely made on planet. We found markings that were distinctive to this particular iron works."

"It seems a little careless," remarked Obi-Wan. "Why would they use such distinctive metal? Surely they know we could trace it. Qui-Gon, this could be a trap."

"Perhaps they didn't expect the bomb to survive," suggested Leyana.

Qui-Gon nodded thoughtfully, and Obi-Wan could see his Master considering both opinions. "We must be careful," he said finally. "It could just be that the bombers are careless, but equally it could be a trap. We will tread with caution."

"I'll get dressed," said Leyana, heading for the door.

As Obi-Wan watched her go it occurred to him Leyana hadn't mentioned the note to Qui-Gon. He was about to speak up, but changed his mind almost instantly. He had a feeling Leyana would rather Shara heard it first. Then they could tell Qui-Gon, and maybe find out exactly who was behind the threat.

_And speaking of Shara… _"Is Master Estaan with you?" he asked Qui-Gon. He saw Leyana hesitate in the doorway.

Qui-Gon frowned as he looked from one apprentice to the other. "I thought she was with you." 

Leyana shook her head. "I haven't seen her all morning." 

She gasped suddenly and bent over double, as if in great pain. Almost in slow motion, Obi-Wan watched her sway, collapsing gracefully onto the cold floor. He moved towards her, but Qui-Gon was already there, crossing the room in three easy steps. She hung limply in his arms, like a rag doll.

"Leyana." Qui-Gon lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Obi-Wan could see the fear written across her features.

"It's Shara," she whispered. "She's in trouble."

***

Shara blinked through the darkness.

"Hello?"

Nothing except the sound of her own voice. She silently cursed herself for not telling Leyana where she was going. It had been foolish to come alone. But she'd been so eager when she received the note she never stopped to think, too eager to wait for her apprentice to wake so they could investigate together.

She pulled it from her cloak pocket now, squinting at the words written on yellowish paper.

I know who destroyed Governor Thelos's estate. Meet me in the abandoned warehouse to the west of Sera, early this morning. I will tell you all I can.

The warehouse was abandoned alright. It was just a huge, empty space, gathering dust and dirt, but nothing else at all. Admittedly, she had thought it was a little odd, but in her excitement at the thought of a lead, she had run off without thinking. She shook her head ruefully.

_Sometimes I act more like a Padawan than a fully trained Knight!_

No one was coming. She had been waiting for more than an hour now, if they were going to appear, they would have done so by now. She turned to the doors through which she had entered, old wooden things with peeling paint, reached expectantly for the handle, and pulled.

Nothing happened.

The uneasy feeling she'd had since last night had reached its peak. Alarm bells were definitely ringing. She tried pulling again, then using The Force.

Still nothing.

Just like in the lift

She shuddered. That was not a good thought.

It was almost as if something was blocking her ability to use The Force…but that was impossible. Only someone powerful in the Dark Side could do such a thing. She would have felt the use of the Dark Side. She would have.

She turned, peering through the gloomy warehouse, hoping to find another exit. 

Her heart stopped.

Sitting in the middle of the floor, terrifying in its innocence was a yellow envelope.

She walked towards it, feeling as if each step was bringing her closer to doom. She reached down and picked it up, carefully breaking the seal. She pulled out the contents.

Every muscle in her body became very, very still as a feeling of mixed fear and rage swept through her.

Anything but this

A sudden roaring filled her ears and she looked up, only to be blinded by bright white lights, shining right in her eyes. A speeder bike soared over her head, missing the top of her hair by inches. The rider leapt from the bike, drawing a weapon from its belt. Shock raced through Shara as she recognised the red glow of a lightsaber, humming to life as it cut through the air towards her. In a flash her own lightsaber was in her hand, countering the attack, purple against red. The weapons tangled and hissed as the fighters spun, leapt and jabbed in a fight as fierce as Shara had ever known.

The mysterious fighter was one of the toughest opponents she had ever met. Their technique was perfect, and they fought with a fury that was hard to deflect. But they were using the dark side of The Force, and Shara drew strength from this knowledge, protecting herself with white light, throwing the darkness back at them.

They aimed a blow at her right shoulder, but she twisted away at the last second, bringing her own lightsaber swinging toward their head. They ducked, parrying the move from below, using pure strength to knock her backwards. She stumbled but immediately regained balance, launching into a backward somersault, slashing at the air in front of her. Every move was deflected, every blow bounced back. She was fighting as hard as she cold, using every trick she knew, but it wasn't enough. Slowly but surely she was being driven backwards, further into the darkness of the warehouse. She feinted left then plunged right, but her weapon was knocked aside, missing her target completely. In her moment of distraction, a well-aimed kick to her chest sent her flying back ward through the air, weapon torn from her grasp. She felt the danger behind her, but could do nothing to stop her doomed flight, and could only brace herself for the pain.

Everything exploded as she slammed headfirst into the tower of concrete blocks. She felt the tower giving way beneath her, as her body passed right through it, destroying the stability of the pile. And then she was falling, falling right into the nest of concrete as the world collapsed on top of her.

***

The figure carefully slid its lightsaber back into its sleeve, then looked down at her body dispassionately. It turned and walked away, its footfalls silent on the stone floor.  

Shara lay lifeless amongst the fallen blocks, her body crushed and broken. A bloody hand stretched from the mess, still clutching a yellow piece of paper and a photograph of a sleeping girl with golden hair.

I'm watching her


	5. Disturbing Information

Thanks for the reviews, esp. Nicole. They were very encouraging!

Qui-Gon stared into the frightened Padawan's eyes, trying to calm her fear.

"What kind of trouble?" he asked.

Leyana shook her head, closing her eyes against his intrusive gaze. "I don't know," she said. "I just felt this sudden pain. Her pain." She looked at him fearfully. "Qui-Gon, I-I can't feel her any more. I can't feel her presence."

Qui-Gon tried not to show the alarm he felt at these words. If Leyana couldn't detect Shara it may mean her Living Force was gone. It may mean that…

"We'll find her," he said, his confident words lending strength to the two Padawans, not to mention himself. He carefully pulled Leyana to her feet, checking her briefly for injury.

"I'm fine," she said, pushing his hands away. "I just need to get dressed." She nodded decisively. "The quicker I do that, the quicker we can find her."

As she left, Qui-Gon turned to Obi-Wan. "I need you to go the metal works and investigate the bomb." Obi-Wan opened his mouth to protest, but Qui-Gon held up a hand. "Please Padawan. I know we have to find Shara, but we must also find those responsible for killing Governor Thelos. It is equally important." He put his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "I know you can discover the source. I have confidence in you."

The words vanished the doubt from Obi-Wan's eyes. He nodded. "I will leave immediately."

He stopped at the door, picking up a brown bag containing the remains of the explosive, and a data pad on the mission. Qui-Gon felt a sudden, strange spark of fear. Obi-Wan was still so young, still so vulnerable. With possible danger abroad, should Qui-Gon really send him off alone? _It's the first step to letting go…_

"Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan turned to face him, waiting expectantly in the doorway.

"Be careful."

The boy smiled and asked, with the slightest trace of irony, "Aren't I always Master?"

"Don't do anything rash."

"Would I ever?" He threw another quick smile, and then exited, leaving the Jedi master alone, staring at the doorway.

***

Through the dim, dankness of the warehouse, a pile of fallen concrete blocks could be seen, creating a strangely beautiful sculpture.

Barely visible beneath the twisting mound of stone was the Jedi Master, but she lay still and unmoving, her purple eyes hidden behind closed lids, showing no sign of life.

***

By the time Obi-Wan reached his destination, he was hot, sweating and exhausted from worry. However, he barely noticed. He was just grateful to be alive.

Piloting a Dingen was a lot harder than it looked. A lot harder. The tiny circular transport may have speed, but it wobbled precariously every time it turned a corner, and several times almost turned upside down. The young Jedi was thoroughly relieved when his feet were once again on solid ground.

The metal works were at least an hour's ride from the city, over to the east. As he had journeyed, Obi-Wan had noticed subtle changes in the landscape around him. The grass became even more lush, the trees taller. There was more wildlife, and far less buildings.

The metal works were situated in the middle of a large, grassy field, surrounded by woodland and lakes. Blue, deer-like creatures ran freely around the edge of the works, going between the woodland and the lakes. It was extremely peaceful.

The building before him was made of a smooth, silver metal, which had a slight transparency to it, in the shape of a huge sphere. The sign above the door read "Mickel's Metalworks" in bright yellow letters. He entered feeling slightly apprehensive, wondering whether this place would really be able to provide him with answers Qui-Gon thought it held. 

As soon as he walked through the door, a Seratiniun dressed in a blue worker's suit hurried up to him.

"How may I help you?"

"I'm looking for Mickel…?" Obi-Wan's tone held the slightest question in it.

The Seratiniun bowed, then scurried off, disappearing amongst the many workstations dotted around the dome. It was huge. Obi-Wan could see several transparent catwalks above him, where more workers went to and fro, some carrying large piles of metal, plastic and paper. All around him he could hear the buzz of machines, people running by holding long data sheets, calling out to others as they moved. To his left there were huge, roaring furnaces, and the clank of metal being beaten into shape. Wracks of ready-made objects hung from every high surface, shimmering with the same, slight transparency of the dome itself.

A tall Seratiniun moved through the chaos toward him, distinctive by his casual dress, unlike the workers around him. He smiled as he reached Obi-Wan.

"And you must be the Jedi. I've been expecting you. Cahn called ahead to say you were coming. I'm Mickel. How do you like my metal works?"

Obi-Wan blinked at the sudden onslaught of information, but smiled politely and said, "They're very nice. I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi." 

"Always a pleasure to meet a Jedi."

Obi-Wan hesitated, then said carefully, "Did Cahn tell you why I was coming?"

"Some such about a bomb. Linked to the explosion of Governor Thelos's house. "He leaned toward Obi-Wan. "Am I right?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "Unfortunately, yes."

Mickel sighed and waved a hand vaguely through the air. "Then you'd better come inside my office." He led the way, moving deftly between the desks and workers, gesturing Obi-Wan into a small room made of the same transparent material as the catwalks above.

Obi-Wan took a seat, then withdrew the bomb from inside his bag.

"This is it. I was told the metal was distinctive to your works. Though I am not sure how you can tell," he admitted.

Mickel studied the melted heap for a moment, then nodded grimly. "Yeh, this is one of mine. See the way the metal has melted there? Gone all transparent? That's a feature only found in semi-steel, the stuff we make here. And I can guaranty we are the only place on planet who makes it."

Obi-Wan frowned slightly. "How can you be so sure?"

To his surprise, Mickel laughed. "Because I invented it boy, that's why. We've got copyright and all that. In fact, I'm not even sure anyone else would know how to make it." He shook his head sadly. "No. That's one of mine. Which means I've been selling to a murderer." He looked thoughtful. "Or maybe not."

Obi-Wan leaned forward eagerly. "What do you mean?"

"We had a break in, about...hmm…a week ago now. Some steel was stolen, not much, nothing of real value, so we thought nothing of it. Just some kids getting some kicks, but I suppose it would make sense to thieve whatever they wanted to use. Wouldn't be able to trace it."

"Do you have any idea who might have taken it?"

Mickel looked at him. "You're joking aren't you? If I had an idea, I would have pulled their legs off by now."

Obi-Wan smiled slightly. "Would I be able to see records of your sales for the last three months? And a report of the break in?"

"Yeh, course." Mickel stood up. "Always happy to help a Jedi."

They went back out into the buzz of the workhouse, and the Seratiniun led Obi-Wan to a desk near the main doors. 

"This is Edetha. She can tell you anything you need to know." Mickel shot a small wink at Edetha, and she laughed, shaking her head. "Flattery will get you everywhere," she said dryly. "What can I do for you Mickel?"

"I need records for all our sales in the last three months. And the report from that break in we had the other week"

Edetha raised her eyebrows slightly. "And what, exactly, do you need those for."

Mickel held up his hands, as if in surrender. "They're not for me," he cried. "They're for Obi-Wan Kenobi." He gestured in Obi-Wan's direction. "He's a Jedi."

"Oh well, in that case," Edetha smiled slightly, "I'm sure it can be arranged. Something wrong?" she added lightly.

"Just an enquiry about the affair at the Governor's house. Seems our metal was found on the site. They think they might be able to trace whoever bought it from the records."

"Well," said Edetha, a little doubtfully. "I'm not sure how much help they'll be, but I'll be happy to oblige." She bustled off, reappearing only moments later holding a large stack of files, which she handed to Obi-Wan.

"As you can see," she said proudly, "We do plenty of business. Which reminds me," she added suddenly, turning to Mickel. "We got the strangest customer in the other week. All dressed up in a black cloak, even though the sun was boiling hot. He wouldn't lower his hood, so I never got to see his face, but he seemed extremely interested in the semi-steel. Asking all these questions he was, about how much heat it could stand and the like."

Obi-Wan fixed her with an intent gaze, his senses alert. "He was asking about heat properties?"

Edetha nodded. "He was awfully interested."

"And did he buy anything?"

Edetha shook her head. "No, he didn't. I remember being surprised at the time, because he'd shown such an interest."

"When was this?" 

She looked thoughtful as she considered the question. "Must've been just over a week ago. Yes, it was a Tuesday night, quite late. Me and Elixa wanted to close up early, 'cos there was a parade in the City."

"Last Tuesday." Obi-Wan repeated. "Two days before the break in."

Mickel looked at him. "Do you think there's a connection?"

"I'm not sure." Obi-Wan turned back to Edetha. "Edetha, do you remember anything distinctive about this man? Anything at all?" 

"Like I said, he wouldn't take off his cloak, didn't even get a glimpse of his face." She sighed. "I'm sorry I can't be more helpful."

Obi-Wan smiled. "You have already been a great help. I thank you." He turned to Mickel. "I will report my findings to my Master. Hopefully we can solve this mystery."

Mickel placed a many-fingered hand on the Jedi's shoulder. "Always a pleasure doing business with a Jedi. Hey! Would you like some souvenir semi-steel?"

And so it was with his arms heavily weighted by an oddly shaped sculpture, a set of cutlery, a too small helmet and a large clock, that Obi-Wan finally staggered his way back to the Dingen. Mickel waved cheerfully from the doorway of the sphere.

He cupped his hands to his mouth, and shouted his final words to Obi-Wan across the field.

"Always a pleasure giving gifts to a Jedi!"

***

Leyana sighed and brushed a hand through her hair. They had been searching all day, but had come up with nothing. The air around her was beginning to cool, and setting with the sun were Leyana's hopes. _Where could Shara be? Why can't I feel her? Is she even alive?_

"Do not give up hope yet. There is still time." Qui-Gon did not look at her as he spoke, but his words provided comfort. He was right. There was still time. They would find her.

"I wonder how Obi-Wan is getting on at the metal works." The words slipped absently from her mouth, as she cast around for more pleasant thoughts. She did not notice the sharp look Qui-Gon sent in her direction.

"I'm sure his findings will be of merit," he said quietly.

She nodded, distracted by the memory of Obi-Wan's hand touching her own, and the way he had looked at her. Had that been desire in his eyes? It was almost as if he'd wanted something to happen, as if he had been about to let something happen. She shook her head slightly. But that was ridiculous. Obi-Wan was a Jedi, and such feelings were strictly forbidden.

"All Jedi are human."

Her own words reached her ears, and she realised that yes, all Jedi were human, herself included. After all, hadn't she wanted something to happen? If Qui-Gon hadn't walked in at that precise moment wouldn't she have-

"You must be careful."

"Huh?"

Qui-Gon still wasn't looking at her. His eyes drifted along the streets of Sera, watching for the other Jedi. "You are both young, and it's so easy to take action without much thought to the consequence when one is young."

She shifted. He couldn't, of course, be talking about her and Obi-Wan. Not unless he was a mind reader anyway.

"It's easy to get swept away by your emotions."

Leyana decided to be blunt. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

He turned now to look at her, and his clear blue gaze seemed to read her very soul.

"I know," he said softly. "But you will."

She was about to reply when a sudden, high beeping broke the calm of the night air. Leyana grabbed at her comlink, wondering exactly who could be contacting her, but before she could reach it, a voice blared at them. 

"Leyana? Leyana are you there? Leyana?"

It was Shara.

***

When Shara first revived consciousness, it was like swimming up through some very dark, heavy water. She could see the light at the surface, but her arms were so tired. Her whole body ached, and it seemed like more effort than it was worth to continue. She let go, falling back down into the abyss of unawareness, but some part of her mind continued to fight. It pushed its way up, dragging the rest of her with it, finally breaking the surface to slam headfirst into a wall of pain. She gasped, her breath torn from her lungs in shock. It took several moments for her fragmented mind to gather, telling her to accept the pain, to welcome it as a friend so she could begin healing. _Accept, welcome, heal. Accept, welcome, heal._

Thousand years old Jedi techniques aided her, and after a moment the pain lessened, allowing her to breath easily.

_Where the hell am I?_

She appeared to be trapped under some sort of heavy blocks, and the air around her was dim and cold. Using The Force and her own, minimal, strength, she managed to extract herself from the blocks, standing uncertainly in a large, empty building. She had no recollection of ever having been there before, or how she had ended up there. In fact, the last thing she remembered was falling into bed after helping clear the explosion site.

I must have hit my head. Hard.

She reached a hand to touch a bruise above her right temple, and realised she was holding something in it. She frowned, squinting at it in the dark.

It was a picture of her Padawan. Her golden hair was spread out beneath her, and her eyes were closed in restful sleep. Her white night shirt was visible above the sheets.

A finger of ice ran down Shara's spine. The picture must have been taken the night before. Someone had crept into their room and pictured Leyana whilst they both slept, unawares. 

There was a note beneath the photograph. _I'm watching her._  

Disgust welled in her throat. Who could be that twisted? Her thoughts flew to Leyana. Wherever she was, she was oblivious to this new threat. She could be in danger this very instant…

Shara snatched her comlink from her belt, pressing the communication button with urgency. The small device hissed at her, but refused to open the communication line. She gave a yell of frustration, and threw the thing across the room.

"Now that isn't going to help anyone." Her voice echoed around the bare floor, reminding her how alone she was. Shivering, she retrieved the comlink, and stared at it a little more closely. The problem wasn't exactly hard to spot. One of the wires had been ripped out and severed, unabling the thing to function properly.

"The good news is I can fix it."

Thanking her stars she had an interest in engineering back at the Temple, she quickly set about reconnecting the wires.

"And…yes!" The crackling gave way to the smooth silence of connection. "Leyana? Leyana are you there? Leyana?"

***

Watching the Master and Padawan reunite lent a certain warmth to Qui-Gon's heart. He wasn't an openly emotional man, and he and Obi-Wan shared most of their feelings through glances, with only occasional physical contact. But Shara and Leyana were completely different. They embraced openly, holding tightly to one another, exchanging brief kisses. For a split second Qui-Gon felt a yearning fill him. A yearning for a sweet embrace, a soft kiss, a pair of green and gold striped eyes… But as quickly as they had come, the feelings left. He was not one to dwell for long on the past. Tahl would always be in his heart, and that, he found, was enough. 

"I was so worried," Leyana cried. "What happened to you?"

Shara pulled away, and Qui-Gon saw her wince as she moved her torso. "I think I may have cracked a rib, or seven." She tried to smile, but the pain got the better of her, and she leaned on Leyana for support.

"What happened?" asked Qui-Gon.

Shara shrugged. "Honestly? I don't know. I can't remember anything." She reached into her robes pocket. "But I did find this."

Qui-Gon frowned as he read the note. _I know who destroyed Governor Thelos's estate. Meet me in the abandoned warehouse to the west of Sera, early this morning. I will tell you all I can._

"A set up?" he asked. Again, she shrugged. "I just don't know. I woke up in those blocks over there." She gestured across the warehouse. "I think I must have hit my head."

Leyana winced. "I'm not surprised," she said. "Those blocks look heavy. And painful."

Qui-Gon didn't comment. There was something else going on here, something Shara was not telling him. He noticed the way her eyes kept darting over Leyana, constantly checking her over. She looked up at him, and he knew she had guessed his thoughts.

"There is something else," she admitted. "I found this in my hand." She withdrew two more objects from her pocket. A note and a photograph.

He kept his face perfectly still, his expression unreadable. He did not want them to know his alarm, or disgust. He passed them to Leyana, who, to his surprise, also barely reacted.

"This isn't the first," she said quietly.

Shara looked up sharply. "What?" she snapped.

"I received a note like this last night. It said," she swallowed and looked at Shara, "_Did you enjoy the elevator ride?"_

"Why didn't you tell me?" Shara was glaring accusingly at her Padawan.

"I was going to, but you had already left this morning when I woke." Leyana's anger flared suddenly. "You should have told me where you were going. You could have been killed!"

"Yeah, well I wasn't, was I?"

"That's not the point! You should have told me! What if you couldn't get your comlink working, what then? We've been looking for you all day, do you have any idea how worried-"

"That's enough." Qui-Gon's quiet voice cut through her tirade. "I'm sure Master Estaan is aware of her foolishness." Shara shot him a nasty glare, which he ignored. "The main thing is that she is safe. We now have two threats to deal with, and neither should be taken lightly, I am sure."

"Do you think they could be connected?"

Qui-Gon turned to the other Jedi Master, meeting her vibrant, purple eyes. "We can't rule out the possibility, but it seems unlikely." He cast a critical eye over her. "Meanwhile, you need some time to heal." 

She waved a dismissive hand at him. "I'm fine."

"You're not," he replied shortly. He frowned as he reached for one of her arms. "If I didn't know better, I'd say this burn was made by a lightsaber."

Shara shrugged. "It's probably from my own weapon. Come on, let's get back."

Qui-Gon watched as the Master limped towards the city, supported by her Padawan. He wished he could dismiss the injury so easily, but something told him Shara's explanation wasn't quite satisfactory. There was definitely something odd going on.

I just hope we can work out what it is. Before someone else gets hurt.

***


	6. Too Close

Thanx for all the reviews! I'm going away for about a month, and I'm not sure if I'll have access to a computer, so I won't be updating for a while, but I will try and write the next few chapters, so I can post when I get back. Oh, and the italics aren't working again, grrr.  

The sun was slowly rising, turning the sky a dazzling gold and red, casting a warm glow across the planet. The city of Sera slept on, unaware of this rare, magical beauty.

The Seratiniun Hall of Negotiations rose from the city, a tall fountain of marble intricately carved and patterned. On one of the balconies two figures balanced, cross-legged, on the wide stone rail. Her hair shone like spun gold, capturing the beauty of the sunrise in every strand. His blue eyes were closed in meditation, calm and peaceful in the morning light.

They had been there for many hours, barely moving, barely speaking, simply finding comfort in each other's presence. After waking from another painful, suffocating dream, Leyana had ventured to her balcony, only to find Obi-Wan seated on his. Joining him, together they had stared up at the stars. He had not asked her why she was awake, and she had not asked him. She was grateful for the silence that had fallen between them, that he did not ask the questions she was unwilling to answer. Something had changed between them, though she wasn't sure exactly when it had happened. Perhaps it was when she comforted him after the explosion, perhaps it was when she had decided to confide in him about the note, perhaps they had just learned to trust each other. The awkwardness was gone, replaced by companionship; she felt as if she had known him for years, and this was just another journey together. It wasn't of course, sooner or later their work on Seratina would be done, and they would be parted. She wasn't sure why this made her feel slightly anxious, but pushed the thought firmly to the back of her mind. It wasn't important now.

Over the last three days, investigation had been primary in their affairs; the testing of the teeltas was suspended until those responsible for Governor Thelos's death could be found, and everyone was aware that the month of the sun was creeping ever closer. Leyana found the whole thing highly suspicious. The mysterious cloaked man at the metal works for a start. Why be so conspicuous if you were planning on stealing something? _It's almost as if he wanted to be linked to the theft._

To her surprise, Obi-Wan opened his eyes. "Linked to the theft?" he whispered.

She froze, shock written on her features. Had he just read her mind? "How…?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "I don't know, I was just thinking about the mission, and this...thought…floated into my mind, but it was like you were saying it."

For a moment neither of them spoke, trying to process this unusual information. To touch another's mind, Jedi had to be close, to have some sort of bond. Between a Master and Padawan, or good friends it was nothing, but Obi-Wan and Leyana had barely known each other two weeks. _And I didn't even try to speak to him…_

"Odd," she said, because she couldn't try to convey what she was feeling.

Obi-Wan nodded. "Odd," he agreed.

They looked across at each other and laughed suddenly, the tension disappearing, the strange communication almost forgotten. Leyana sighed and stretched her arms above her head. 

"It's so beautiful," she whispered, gesturing to the sunset.

"I wish moments like this could last forever. I wish I could stay here forever. With you."

Leyana glanced at him, she had a feeling he hadn't meant to say that last part, but strangely enough, it was exactly what she was feeling. He felt so comfortable with Obi-Wan, as if nothing bad could happen when they were together. The dreams suddenly seemed so far away, the notes nothing more than a childish game. With him she was safe. She wanted to tell him this, to tell him the affect his presence had on her, but instead she asked, "Do you think the mysterious cloaked man _is _linked to the explosion?"

For a brief moment something odd glimmered in Obi-Wan's eyes, almost like disappointment, but then it was gone, and he was nodding.

"Seems too much of a coincidence not to be, but I also think you're right, that he was too obvious, that he wanted to be remembered."

She sighed in frustration. "It's suddenly so complicated."

He nodded. "And I have a feeling it's about to get a lot worse."

Her mind flitted back to the latest note, _You look so peaceful when you sleep. Do you dream?_ "I know what you mean." 

***

Qui-Gon paced the length of the room, frustration rising in him. Why couldn't she see it? Why wouldn't she understand?

Shara watched him from the bed, cross-legged, calm, her violet eyes following his movements. "I think you're overreacting."

He whirled to face her. "This _will_ end badly."

The silence which followed was thick with tension.

Qui-Gon sighed and strode to the window, watching the two Padawans from behind the curtains, ignorant to his observation. He knew their feelings for each other were growing, that they were becoming closer than they should. He could not let that happen. He had nurtured Obi-Wan, turning him into the best Jedi Knight he could be. Leyana could not be allowed to ruin all that by leading Obi-Wan astray.

"They're young Qui-Gon, let them have some fun. Soon enough this mission will be over, and they will forget all about each other."

"So sure are you? I know what I see-"

"And I know my Padawan," she interrupted fiercely. "She is dedicated. She will not stray." She hesitated, then she added, "I think we should let them go back to the metal works together."

"No," Qui-Gon snapped. "No. I will go back with Obi-Wan. You and Leyana can return to the lab."

"I want Leyana to do something on her own. She's almost ready for the trials, she needs to be able to work solo."

"That is your concern, not mine."

"Yoda sent us both on this mission. We should both be making the decisions."

The tense silence returned as the two Masters glared at each other.

Although Qui-Gon barely knew Shara, he already thought her to be to be too rash and too relaxed. She had passed the trials at eighteen, and taken a Padawan when she was only twenty. She was an accomplished Jedi, whom the Council held in high esteem. But one thing was certainly clear about her: she did not like being told what to do, especially, it seemed, if the person telling was Qui-Gon.

"You're too reckless," he said. "The incident at the warehouse has proven this."

Her eyes flashed dangerously, and Qui-Gon wondered if he had pushed too far.

"How dare you question my capability," she hissed. "What gives you the right to judge me?"

"Twenty years more experience," he replied dryly.

"So that automatically makes you better than me?"

He sighed, tiredly. "No. It doesn't make me better than you. It makes me more cautious."

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "This isn't just about our Padawans is it?"

"No," he agreed. " It isn't. It's about you constantly allowing Leyana and yourself to be cornered by danger. The lift, the warehouse. That incident with the pirates."

He saw her scowl at the mention of the pirates who had way layed them on their journey, but he ignored it. "How can I trust you if you keep getting yourself almost killed?"

She took a deep breath, as if to calm herself. "I did what I thought was best in those situations. I had to think on my feet, we do it everyday!"

"Well then, perhaps you are making the wrong decisions."

Silence.

"I do not believe this is working as a team, Qui-Gon." Her voice was icy, almost dangerous.    

He passed a hand over his eyes. Suddenly he felt old. Too old to battle with Shara's vivacious spirit. "No," he agreed. "I am being unfair. Please forgive me. Of course Obi-Wan and Leyana should go to the metal works together. It's the normal situation in such a circumstance."

She shot him a slightly odd look. "Riiiight. Well, I'll go and tell them then, if it's the "normal situation in such a circumstance". Unless I need your permission of course."

She sailed out of the door, leaving him no chance to reply. He clenched his jaw. He hated it when people made fun of him, rare though it was. In fact, he didn't think he'd ever known anyone as successful at getting under his skin. This mission was _not _going well.

***

Leyana gasped as the Dingen slowed, giving her a first glimpse of their surroundings.

 "It's beautiful!"

Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. It was even prettier than he remembered. The sun shone across the grass and lakes, the breeze rustling the trees of the forest.

"Look!" Leyana cried. "Reyoltoes!" She pointed to the blue creatures Obi-Wan had seen on his last visit. "They're very rare," she said. "Usually only found on the moons of a planet. It's amazing a colony has survived on an actual planet."

He watched the way her golden eyes glowed, lit with enthusiasm, as she talked. Her lips captivated him. Full and soft, the palest pink with a golden shimmer.

He coughed. "Shall we, uh, go inside?" 

She nodded, and followed him out of the transport. "Do you think we'll gain any useful information?"

He glanced at her as they started across the field. "I don't know," he admitted. "Edetha said the man was cloaked, so she couldn't really see him. But perhaps the other workers have some useful information."

She looked thoughtful. "Perhaps."

There was a pause, then he asked, "What are you thinking?"

She looked at him, smiling. "How beautiful the sun is." She reached out her arms, as if she could gather the beauty of the day and hold it. Her eyes were closed, so she couldn't see the small dip in the grass before her. Obi-Wan sensed the danger, saw her fall, arms still reaching, and suddenly found her held tightly in his arms, steadying her. They looked at each other, their faces only centimetres apart, their bodies locked together. Tension flared between them. He could see a flash of his own feelings written on her face. Desire. Fear. Desperation. Frustration. They were so close, so close… Suddenly she laughed, and the odd spell was broken. They pulled away, a hint of a blush colouring their cheeks, relief tingeing their expressions.

I have to stop feeling like this. I'm a Jedi.

She smiled uncertainly at him, and they continued across the field, avoiding each other's gaze. As they approached the great, domed building, Obi-Wan felt an odd sense of warning sweep through him. Danger was nearby. He could feel it. The doors were open, as they had been on his last visit, but as the Jedi stepped inside they realised something was very, very wrong.

The place was deserted. Papers floated from desktops in a gentle breeze. Objects lay, carelessly, on chairs. The great fires only shimmered in their holes. It was like everyone had just got up and walked out. As if the place had been abandoned. 

They took a few steps inside, taking in their surroundings.

"What the hell happened here?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "I don't know. It's like everyone's just…vanished."

Leyana looked worried. "Maybe we should report back to Shara and Qui-Gon. See what they think." Obi-Wan moved further into the building. "Let's look around first." He squinted across the room, at Mickel's clear office.  "There's something stuck on that wall. Maybe it has some information." He could see it clearly now, a piece of yellow paper with black writing, stuck to the partition, plainly visible. H e reached for it, pulling it into his hand.

"What does it say?"

As he read the words, he felt his stomach drop, dread flowing through his veins.

I knew you would be here. Now I can see you awake too.

"We've walked into a trap."

***

Leyana stared at him, trying not to show the sudden panic she was feeling. "A trap?"

Obi-Wan handed her the note. She squeezed her eyes shut, to block out the words. Now I can see you awake too. "This isn't happening," she whispered.

"We have to get out of here." Hands grasped her elbows, forcing her to open her eyes. 

"Leyana do you here me? I need you to stay strong. We'll be okay as long as we're together."

She took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm okay."

She wasn't, but Obi-Wan was right. She couldn't afford to break down right now.

"Okay, let's go."

Holding her hand, Obi-Wan began to lead her toward the door, but had barely taken three steps when they were plunged into sudden darkness. His steps faltered. She gripped his hand.

In front of them, the door swung closed.

For several long moments silence enclosed them, then Obi-Wan's hand was torn from hers, the space next to her body filled with air. 

"Obi-Wan?"

She heard a grunt, then a crash followed by a moan.

"Obi-Wan?"

The sounds of a fight reached her ears, and panic threatened to engulf her. 

Calm down. Use your Jedi training. You don't just use your eyes to see.

She opened her mind and let The Force in. She could sense the fight to her right. Obi-Wan and a larger, stronger opponent. She whipped out her lightsaber, the blue glow lending a relief from the dark. She leapt through the air, landing carefully on a table, her weapon swinging towards their attacker. Shock raced through her as red glow appeared out of nowhere, blocking her attack, the powerful stroke forcing her back.

A lightsaber? But that's impossible.

And yet it was a lightsaber, now battling fiercely with Obi-Wan, whirling, twisting, stabbing in the dark. Pushing away her surprise, she leapt back into the fray, covering Obi-Wan's flank as he parried the stranger's blows. She leapt, somersaulting over the mysterious enemy, racing her weapon defensively. 

He attacked. 

She had never felt such power. It raced shock after shock up her arm as their weapons tangled. She spun, dived and ducked, calling on every Jedi skill she knew, but he was right there, meeting every thrust, parrying every blow and forcing her backwards, away from Obi-Wan. With a sudden burst of energy she felt herself flying through the air, propelled by The Force, powerless to stop herself. She landed hard on the floor, the wind knocked out of her, unable to move. She hugged the cold ground, battling her fear, the sound of Obi-Wan's fight filling her ears. She had to help him.

She stood, her eyes easily piercing the dimness now they had adjusted, and located the two flashing lightsabers. Their opponent was dressed in black, blending with the dark shadows, constantly moving, almost too quick for the eye. He or she moved with perfect grace, indefinable skill. Leyana ran through the maze of desks toward them, desperation filling her lungs. The black fighter kicked Obi-Wan's legs from under him, but a moment later he appeared, flipping backwards through the air. He slashed with his lightsaber, but his opponent had already sensed the move, leaping back then forward, his leg kicking Obi-Wan's weapon to right, his lightsaber plunging into the Jedi's left side.

Leyana's steps faltered. She saw their movements as if in slow motion. The figure jumping back then springing at Obi-Wan, his foot appearing out of nowhere, pushing away the blue blaze as if it was a stick. She heard the sickeningly blank sound as the red glow buried itself in Obi-Wan's body, then reappeared, glaring across the room.

Obi-Wan's eyes widened in surprise, a soundless gasp escaping his lips. He turned in the dark, but before Leyana could meet his gaze, his eyes rolled back into his head, and he fell. Silence was magnified and time slowed to a crawl as his body crumpled beneath him, arching gracefully through the air towards the ground. The sound as he hit the floor echoed in her ears. He lay, unmoving.

The figure leapt at her, materialising from the dark. It grabbed her, pulling her close, and she could see black eyes, their gaze scorching her skin.

"Soon," it whispered.

Then it jumped up onto the catwalks above and through an open window, disappearing from sight.

***


	7. Almost

Thanks everyone for the reviews, they were all really great! I was able to come home sooner than I thought, but I'm going away again tomorrow, so I'm not sure when the next chapter will be done. Nicole: no he's not a pervert, and there is a reason why the notes are specific, but I can't say.

As ususal, some of the italics aren't working, so the are in there instead! Hope you like it!

It was stifling hot. Shara wiped a hand across her brow with a heavy sigh and reached for the next box of records. After sending their Padawans off in a Dingen, she and Qui-Gon had headed to Sera's Official Records Office to try and gain some information on the known leaders of the protest groups, but it was turning out to be a little more complicated than that. For a start, the air conditioning in the box-like, basement room had broken, and the heat was so thick the Jedi could barely breathe. Then there was the fact that Seratiniuns had no filing system. At all. 

Records seemed to have been shoved randomly into boxes, thousands of boxes, and the Jedi were having to search through every single one. Shara was trying to locate Crea Landoor, a prominent figure in animal rights, but the first seventeen boxes had held no luck, and she doubted the eighteenth would be any different. In a sudden fit of frustration, she threw the box down and stormed around the square inch of space in the middle of the room. Qui-Gon, to her annoyance, ignored her completely, continuing to sort patiently through his own box.

"This is a waste of time," she stated flatly.

Qui-Gon half smiled and raised his eyebrows. "Do you have a better suggestion?"

"As a matter of fact, I do."

He looked up now, the slightest glint of surprise in his blue eyes.

Ha. 

"We go to Crea Landoor's house and ask him if he blew up Thelos: yes or no."

Qui-Gon closed his eyes briefly, as if the suggestion had brought him physical pain.

"I do not believe," he said carefully, "that would be the best course of action."

She sighed. "Qui-Gon, I was _joking._ Good grief, just how old are you?"

She saw his eyes narrow, but purposely turned away before he could respond. As she went back to her box she began humming, hoping to annoy him further. And sure enough, after only a few moments: "As much as I am enjoying your musical stylings, they are rather massacring my concentration."

She smiled, ignored him, and continued to hum.

Another moment, then an exasperated "Shara…"

"Ah ha!" she yelled, jumping up. "I've found him. Crea Landoor." She waved the peach file in Qui-Gon's face to illustrate her point.

"Yes," he replied irritably. "I can see it."

She smiled. "I know."

"Are you trying to annoy me, or is that just your natural demeanour?"

She tilted her head, considering. "A little of both."

She flipped open the file and began reading the information inside. "Crea Landoor, 43, married, current place of occupation: Orland's Point…blah, blah, blah-" Qui-Gon shot her a glare "-blah…here's something interesting. It says here a year ago he held the position of Advisor to the Governor."  
"Thelos?"

She shook her head. "No, someone named Antonio Rechton. Landoor resigned when Thelos won last year's election."

"Where's Rechton now?"

"I wouldn't know that unless I had his _file_ now, would I?"

He grimaced at her patronising tone. "What else about Landoor?"

"Hmm…not much. No criminal records, no arrests, no convictions…led a couple of protests, but that's all."

"Perhaps he isn't as involved as we thought."

"Or perhaps he just doesn't like to get his hands dirty."

She frowned. Something was nudging at her mind, something she couldn't quite grasp, something…

"Do you feel that?" she asked.

Qui-Gon looked at her, and she could see the surprise in his eyes. "Yes."

For a moment there was silence, and then the Force began to shimmer around them, great rippling waves of warning.

"I feel that too." Qui-Gon said, and he pulled his lightsaber from his belt as the door burst open and several figures in black rushed in.

Shara's own saber was a purple blur as she began to deflect the blaster bolts that reigned down on them from all directions. The two Jedi moved closer together as their assailants, surprisingly skilled marksman, formed a circle around them.

Shara reached out a hand, and one of their attackers was thrown against the wall, his blaster sailing to her hand. She tossed in into the air and sliced in half, the parts clattering onto the floor. Her triumph, however, was short lived as her comlink was kicked from her belt, disappearing in a red bolt of light. With an angry cry, she lashed out with the handle of her saber, feeling an uncharacteristic sense of satisfaction when she heard the crunch of broken bone. The Force warned her of a blaster bolt a split second before it buried itself in the back of her head, and she leapt to the side, hearing it whiz past her left ear. As she whirled to the right to detach a blaster from a hand, a figure darted past her on her left. It lunged for one of the boxes, reaching in and withdrawing a single file. She leapt into the air, kicking her legs out in an elegant spin, and the figure dropped to the floor, the file rising to meet her outstretched hand. Qui-Gon was bent over his own shattered comlink, the unconscious bodies littering the floor around him.

"They got mine too," she said gesturing to the broken piece of plastic. She held up the file. " But we got this. Antonio Rechton."

He nodded, almost as if he'd been expecting it. "What does it say?"

She carefully opened it, and, on reading the information, kept her surprise hidden.

"Antonio Rechton," she said, "is human."

Before either of them could really digest this unusual information, a shock wave raced through both, and Shara felt a sudden, desperate pain in her heart.

She looked at Qui-Gon, and could see her feeling mirrored in his eyes. Fear. Pain. Worry.

"It's Obi-Wan and Leyana," he said. "They're in danger."

***

Obi-Wan lay in a pit of swirling darkness, a strange weightlessness to his body.

Am I dead? He wondered, but his thoughts seemed to fly away from him, and he couldn't quite grasp them as they disappeared into the swirling mists ahead. 

And then a light. A light so bright it was painful, and he wanted to turn away but part of him was captivated, unable to. The light was calling to him, calling his name. He wanted to go to it, to wrap it around him; he wanted to be lost in it. The light came closer, beckoning him. It sounded so beautiful, so inviting. Calling him, like the music of a thousand bells.

He felt his own voice try to rise up and meet it. "Yes," he wanted to shout. "I am here. I am coming!" But he couldn't speak. Couldn't move. Couldn't do anything but watch as the light came closer, became denser, gathering into a hazy, dancing shape. It swam in and out of focus, this huge, blazing light, and suddenly it had eyes. Two golden eyes which stared, unblinking, down at him. It was then that he realised his own eyes were open, and it wasn't a light at all, but a person, and with this realisation came an all consuming pain which filled him like fire.

"Obi-Wan!"

Leyana's cool hands pressed against his forehead as he rolled blurry eyes towards her, screams escaping his mouth at the magnitude of this sudden pain. He gripped the hand that was suddenly in his, trying to master the pain, trying to accept it. But it was unlike anything he'd ever felt before, driving every thought from his mind, consuming his senses.

"Shhh." Lips, so close to his face, pressing against his cheek, reaching a place deep inside of him. "You're stronger than this pain. Just breathe. Breathe."

He sucked in air, great gusts of it filling his lungs. And, as if someone had thrown water on the fire, the pain lessened. He was able to focus, to see the glimmering, golden glow that surrounded Leyana like a giant halo, to feel her body pressed against his as she held him in her arms.

"It's okay," she whispered." You're okay."

"Hurts…" he gasped.

"I know," her arms tightened slightly. "Just keep breathing."

It was coming back to him slowly. The note, the fight, the lightsaber that had plunged into his shoulder.

"Qui-Gon…"

A shadow passed across her face. "I couldn't reach him or Shara, but they know we were in danger."

Obi-Wan didn't try to respond to the calling he could feel in his mind, but he could hear the words, like a whisper in his ear. _Hold on Padawan, I am coming._

"We need a medic here. Fast." He heard the urgency in her voice.

"Am I dying?"

She laughed, but it was shaky. "No," she replied. "You're not dying."

He felt lost, like a little boy. "Promise?"

She squeezed his hand. "I promise. I won't let you."

At that moment there was only her. She was the only one who could comfort him, who could be there for him. "Don't leave me."

Her lips brushed his forehead. "I'm not going anywhere."

His eyelids felt so heavy. He struggled to focus on Leyana's beautiful face, but the swirling darkness was dragging him backwards, and he was too weak to fight.

"Obi-Wan, you have to stay awake. Do you hear me? Obi-Wan!" He heard the words, but couldn't make sense of them, and she seemed so far away. He was drifting away from her, pulled by an invisible tide, sinking beneath dark waves.

He barely felt the hand that pressed against his wound, or the way the air stirred around him. He didn't see Leyana's golden glow brighten to a shining light as The Force swirled around her.

But he felt the burst of pure whiteness that filled him. That pulled him back from the brink and drove the pain away. That poured strength and energy into him like molten metal. And then it was over, and nothing hurt anymore.

His eyes were closed, and he was afraid to open them. What would he see? Had he died? He thought he was trembling, and it took him a moment to realise that it wasn't him, but someone else, and that he was lying in someone's arms, and that it must be Leyana, and that he couldn't be dead.

"Am I alive?" he asked.

"Yes," came the soft reply. "You are."

He did open his eyes then, and her face was the most beautiful, welcome sight he had ever seen. "What happened?"

Tears glistened on her cheeks. "I don't know," she whispered. "I just wanted you to live."

He sat up, bringing his arms around her, holding her close. He felt the wetness of her tears on his own cheek.

_I love you._ The words flitted across his mind, but they were gone in an instant, forgotten as quickly as they had been thought. 

"I'm sorry," she said. "I just…I'm not quite sure what happened."

"You saved me," he could barely hear his own words, but knew somehow they were clear to her. "You saved me."

Their eyes met, and something unseen passed between them, something precious that lingered in the air between their gaze, that somehow touched their hearts. Something they couldn't yet identify, but soon would. And then medics were pushing in between them, pushing Leyana aside, and a familiar voice was crying out "Obi-Wan! Jedi!" Mickel stood over him, his silver eyes full of concern. And questions.

"What happened? Why are you here? Were you attacked? Who's this?"

Obi-Wan shot Leyana an amused glance. "This is Leyana," he said.

"Another Jedi!" cried Mickel, looking as if all his birthdays had come at once. "It's a delightful honour to meet you. Though not under such wonderful circumstances, eh?"

Obi-Wan saw Leyana nod soberly, as he was loaded onto a stretcher, and carried away.

"Where are they taking him?" He heard anxiety in her words, and turned to look at her. Again that unidentifiable something passed between them, and then she was gone and he was being rushed upwards in a whirl of metal and sliding doors.

***

Leyana felt a surprising twang in her heart as she watched Obi-Wan being taken away, but put it down to concern for another Jedi. Nothing to do with that strange, almost beautiful feeling that had passed between them. Nothing whatsoever.

Mickel squeezed her shoulder "He'll be fine."

She nodded. "I know, I just…"

"We always worry about the people we love."

She glanced sharply at him. "I don't…I mean we're just…that is…we're just friends."

"Oh I know, I know." He smiled, a secretive little smile. "Just good friends."

_Just good friends…_ "Why wasn't anyone here when we arrived?"

If he was surprised at her abrupt shift in conversation, he didn't show it. "An evacuation."

"Evacuation?"

He nodded. "We figured it was probably just a false alarm, we get a lot of those from machinery breaking down, but it appears we were lured out."

"To lure me and Obi-Wan in."

There was a silence as they both contemplated this.

"Do you think it's connected to the theft and bombing?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "It's all very…complicated."

They heard the sound of a Dingen landing outside, and Leyana didn't need to turn to know who was inside. There was the sound of running feet, and then arms were thrown around her.

"Thank Force you're alright!" Shara cried.

Leyana pushed her away angrily. "Of course I'm alright," she snapped. "But what about Obi-Wan? He almost died, and where were you two? You could've dropped off the face of the planet for all I knew." She suddenly realised she was close to tears, and turned away, hiding her expression.

A gentle hand touched her arm, not her Master's, but Qui-Gon. He looked straight into her eyes, seeming to read the emotion there. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "Our comlinks were broken, but we are here now."

She nodded, gathering her strength, pushing her fears aside. "Obi-Wan is upstairs, with the medics."

"How is he?"

She felt suddenly uneasy. How could she explain what happened, what she'd done?

"He's fine, or at least he will be."

Shara peered at her. "But something else is wrong. Something's happened."

Leyana avoided her gaze. "I think we should just go and see him." She turned to Mickel. "I'm sorry you got caught up in the middle of all this. Masters, this is Mickel. He owns the metal works."

The two Masters smiled, but Qui-Gon's concern for the state of his Padawan prevented him from exchanging pleasantries. 

"If you'll excuse us, I'm anxious to see Obi-Wan."

"Of course, of course. Just take the lift up, and the second catwalk on the right.

"Thankyou."

They all bowed, and then the Jedi followed his directions: up in the lift, second catwalk on the right. As they walked across the transparent platform, Leyana could appreciate just how huge the place was. The floor spread out beneath them, thousands of desks and fires, and melting ovens. Cooling racks, and shaping tables, and racks and racks and racks, all filled with shiny objects. In the upper level there were even more desks, all complete with built in holopads, and little silver communication devices. The medical area was made from the same transparent material as everything else, and they could see Obi-Wan half sitting, half lying in one of the beds.

Qui-Gon rushed forward in a very un-Qui-Gon like way, and grasped one of Obi-Wan's hands. Shara and Leyana hung back, not wanting to intrude, but after a moment or two, Qui-Gon waved them forward.

"What happened?"

Leyana looked at Obi-Wan.

"It was trap," she said. "We were attacked."

"By what?" prompted Qui-Gon.

They exchanged another glance.

"A Jedi," Obi-Wan said at last.

Silence.

"A Jedi?" repeated Shara doubtfully.

"Yes." Leyana was firm. "His skill was unbelievable, his technique flawless, and his use of the Force powerful."

"And he had a lightsaber," Obi-Wan threw in.

"He?"

Leyana sighed. "Couldn't tell," she admitted. "He or she was covered in black. Only the eyes were showing." She shuddered at the memory of those cold, black eyes. "It felt like a he."

"Then what happened?"

"We fought," said Obi-Wan. "I was stabbed through the shoulder."

Qui-Gon looked alarmed. "With a lightsaber?"

Obi-Wan nodded.

"Yet you're still alive?"

Obi-Wan looked at Leyana. "Well, that's where it becomes a little more complicated."

All eyes now turned on her, and she stared at her hands, trying to block out the inquisitive stares.

"What happened?" Shara asked gently.

"I healed him," she whispered, still focusing on her hands, afraid to look up. " I don't know what I did or how did it, but I healed him."

She could feel Shara's eyes on her, and when a slender hand reached under her chin, forcing her to look up, she reluctantly met the other's gaze.

"Listen to me." Shara's voice was soft, quiet, for Leyana's ears only. "You saved a life Padawan. You did an extraordinary thing."

"But why?" asked Leyana. "Why did I do it? How did I do it?"

For a split second she thought she saw a hesitation in her Master's eyes, but then it was gone, and the honesty in that purple was comforting. "I don't know. But I don't think it matters. The important thing is that Obi-Wan is alive, and you are safe."

She smiled, nodded, found strength.

"Master." All eyes turned to Obi-Wan. "I don't think this blow was meant to kill. Our enemy was extremely skilled, and if his or her intention was death then why not aim for the heart? It would be too risky to leave me with only a shoulder wound."

"Hmm." Qui-Gon leaned forward to look under the bandage, revealing a patch of shiny, red skin.

Leyana closed her eyes. There was something someone had said to her, something that fitted Obi-Wan's theory, if she could only remember…s_omeone's playing with us_…her Master's words in the lift sifted into her memory, and she realised, with a wave of nausea, why Obi-Wan wasn't meant to have died.

"It's a game," she whispered.

Shara glanced at her. "What?"

"It's a game," she repeated, louder this time. "It's like you said. Someone's playing with us. The notes, the lift, the attack on you, now this. They're pushing us, seeing how far they can take us."

Shara's eyes flashed with fury. "Those burns on my arm. They _were_ lightsaber burns, just not from _my_ lightsaber."

"He told me soon," Leyana said. "Just before he leapt through the window. Soon." She looked fearful. "What do you think that means?"

"It means," said Shara "that you are in very possible danger, and you shouldn't take any risks."

"I agree," said Qui-Gon. "We should all be more alert, and not go anywhere alone." Here he shot a pointed look at Shara. "Caution is of the greatest importance. I think Shara and I should look outside, talk to a few of the workers. You stay here with Obi-Wan."

Leyana nodded and took a step closer to the bed. Obi-Wan looked at her. "We'll be alright."

***

As soon as they were out of earshot, Qui-Gon turned to Shara with a grim look. 

"You lied to her."

Shara moved past him, towards the lift. "I thought it best not to tell her."

"You lied to her," he said flatly. "You know perfectly well what it means. You should have told her."

"I think it is best to let her find out for herself," she replied calmly.

He grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. "You deliberately let her walk into danger?"

She wrenched her arm free angrily. "I would not call it danger Qui-Gon. It is an emotion. They can conquer it, but I want her to do it on her own. She needs to face life without my help."

"And if they can't? If they make the wrong decision?"

"They won't. Have a little faith."

"Love can be powerful."

"They are young. Love will come and go."

He looked at her and shook his head. "I hope you are right. For all of us."

***

Obi-Wan watched as she took another step towards the bed.

"How are you feeling?"

"Sore," he admitted. "But alive."

She smiled "That always helps."

She sat down on the bed beside him, and he wondered at her ability to be so strong, yet look so fragile. He felt that if he touched her, she would shatter like glass, so delicate, but he had seen her in battle, in training, and knew she had every strength of a warrior.

She took one of his hands in hers, and he tried to ignore the little frisson that swept across his skin.

Their eyes met.

He felt a sudden yearning, unlike anything he'd yearned for before. Those soft, shapely lips. So beautiful. His gaze slid back to her eyes. Their faces moved closer, eyes locked together. She was so close now. He could feel the warmth of her breath, smell the sweetness of her skin. He closed his eyes, lost in the sense of her. Her lips brushed his own, and he longed to press harder, to capture her beauty and take it inside of him, but at the same time he was pulling away, and she was breaking their hands apart, backing away from the bed.

For a moment they just stared at each other, then she turned and walked away.

Slowly, he raised a hand to his lips, tracing a pattern where he had almost gone too far.

***


	8. The Pain Of Memory

Thankyou Nicole for being such a faithful reader! Sorry this chapter took aaaages, but it's extra long, so I hope that suits! And grrrr to the italics which, again, aren't working. Sorry, I know those things don't have the same effect!

Obi-Wan awoke in a pool of sweat, hands stretched out in front of him as if to grasp the last traces of his dream. His shoulder throbbed, and he carefully massaged it, sitting up slowly, trying to gather his fragmented mind.

"Does it hurt much?"

Inwardly he started at the sound of Qui-Gon's voice, but there was no visible surprise, even in his nightmare-dazed state.

"I didn't realise you were awake," he admitted.

"No. It would seem you are…preoccupied."

Obi-Wan stiffened. "It's nothing."

"And I suppose it was nothing last night, and the previous one before that, and every other night that we've been here."

He closed his eyes briefly. He should have known he couldn't hide the dream from Qui-Gon. "It's just a dream."

"Is it?"

Obi-Wan sighed. "I really don't want to talk about this now."

A short pause, then "As you wish." 

A tense silence. 

"How's your shoulder."

"Sore." He hesitated. "It was amazing, wasn't it? How she healed me. Like a miracle."

"Yes," Qui-Gon's tone was distinctly dry. "A miracle."

Obi-Wan frowned. Was it his imagination, or did Qui-Gon seem more tense than usual. He could almost feel his Master's words, desperate to spill out, to be heard, yet something was holding him back.

After another alarmingly tense silence, Obi-Wan gave an excessively loud, fake yawn and turned over in his bed. 

"Goodnight."

For a moment he thought Qui-Gon was going to ignore him, then he heard the words so soft they were almost whispered. 

"Sleep well Padawan."

He closed his eyes, and tried to sooth his troubled mind, to cling to those whispered words that reminded him that no trouble, no danger was too great for him and his Master. That as long as they stood together, nothing could tear them apart.

***

This is tearing us apart.

Qui-Gon stared blankly into the darkness, fears roaming around his tired mind, images of Obi-Wan turning away form him, shutting him out.

It's happened before.

All at once he was back on Melida/Daan, watching as Obi-Wan handed over his lightsaber, letting Qui-Gon walk up the ramp of the star fighter without his beloved Padawan.

He did it for love then, too. A different kind of love maybe, but it was love all the same.

He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the unexpected prickle of tears gathering behind the lids. He was not a man who succumbed often to his emotions, but where Obi-Wan was concerned, there seemed to be no way of holding back. The boy was everything to him. Everything. He didn't think he could bare to lose Obi-Wan again, to watch him walk away…

In sudden resolve he sat up, pushing away the dark thoughts. He didn't care what Shara said, he had to warn Obi-Wan of the danger. He couldn't just let him walk blindly into his own demise. He couldn't just stand there and do nothing.

"Obi-Wan."

Silence, except for the deep, even breathes of his Padawan, which reached him through the darkness of the night. So young, yet already wise in the ways of world. So much still to learn, to experience.

Pain tore at his heart, as he realised that he did not have the courage to destroy the boy's dreams, the boy's hopes. That he did not have the courage to warn him of the dangers ahead because he could not bear to see the pain on Obi-Wan's face, pain caused by him.

He would not sleep that night. He would spend every moment watching over his Padawan, enjoying the innocence that can only truly be found in sleep. And when the sun's rays crept through the curtains, lighting the boy's hair with morning highlights and rousing him from his slumber, Qui-Gon would be there. 

***

The atmosphere in the lift was tense.

There should have been plenty of room, but the four Jedi seemed to be taking up twice as much space as usual, leaving each other gasping for fresh air and open spaces.

Leyana and Obi-Wan were avoiding eye contact, and standing as far away from each other as was possible in a five square foot space. It was clear to everyone that Qui-Gon hadn't slept well, and the blueish smudges under his eyes gave testimony to this suspicion. He kept shooting little glances at Shara, as if his bad night had been her fault, and she was pointedly ignoring him, keeping her gaze fixed firmly on the ceiling, refusing, also, to meet Leyana's eyes.

The four occupants breathed audible sighs of relief as the lift reached the fifth floor with a gentle _whoosh_, and they scrambled out, desperate for the increasingly appealing space in the room beyond. It was a large room, very beautiful, with huge marble pillars bursting from the floor like whirlpools, twisting elegantly up to the ceiling, framing doors and enormous windows that offered views of brightly coloured gardens and deep blue seas.

Antonio Rechton had money, that was for sure.

Leyana glanced around, trying to take it all in with a neutral eye, but she couldn't help being overwhelmed by the sheer perfection of the place. Not only the room she was standing in but the whole house, positioned on the cliff edge, surrounded by lush orchards and startling flowers, every room so grand and so beautiful she felt as if she was entering the home of a mythical creature, too beautiful to be real, to perfect to exsist.

It certainly distracted her from the tensions between the Jedi. She and Obi-Wan could barely look at each other, Qui-Gon was grumpy and Shara was just acting plain weird. Leyana could only hope this didn't effect their meeting. She had a feeling Rechton played an important part in the whole thing, almost as if he was the key to unlocking the mystery.

If we can all stay cool and keep our tempers. 

She smiled wryly. So much had already gone wrong for them on this mission, surely nothing else could complicate matters.

She was about to learn just how wrong she was.

***

Obi-Wan took in his surroundings, but was too distracted to be impressed. It bothered him that he and Leyana could barely look at each other. Their friendship, forged through barely a week, was already something he had come to value, and he missed the knowledge that Leyana was someone he could talk to, someone he could trust. And now he had to deal with Qui-Gon's odd behaviour, something unexpected and unappreciated. When Obi-Wan had woken that morning, he had found Qui-Gon awake, and watching him. When asked if everything was alright, the Master had just smiled vaguely. He hadn't mentioned a bad night, or any particular troubles which were plaguing him, or any concerns. It wasn't like Qui-Gon to let a personal matter interfere with a mission, but Obi-Wan could see that this was obviously the case. He didn't know if it was him, or Shara, or perhaps some news from the Temple.

If only he would talk to me.

Suddenly Obi-Wan felt thirteen again, shut out from his Master's thoughts, plans, everything. He knew this wasn't the case, that Qui-Gon had long ago brought down the barriers and let his Padawan in. But sometimes it was hard to forget those moments, the way he had felt in his darkest, most desperate times.

And that's how Xanatos got to you.

Yes, that was how Xanatos had got to him. How Qui-Gon's former apprentice had managed to lure Obi-Wan into danger, had almost succeeded in killing him, by planting a false seed of doubt in his mind.

It was pure irony that Obi-Wan's thoughts should be on Xanatos, so many years after his death, at that particular moment. Because when the door finally opened and someone walked in, Obi-Wan realised he was seeing a ghost.

***

Qui-Gon stared, heart pounding, at the figure in front of him, sure that it must be a dream. A nightmare, because the man standing before him was dead, Qui-Gon had watched him die with his own eyes, could still see the swirl of his black cape as it disintegrated into nothing in the acid waters. Could still remember those midnight blue eyes narrow in triumph, a split second before he jumped. Could still recall every tiny detail as his former apprentice finally found his ending.

But here he was, stood before Qui-Gon once again, still tormenting his former Master, even in death.

Xanatos strode forward, a smile on his handsome face, his black hair falling in silken locks to his shoulders.

"I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting. I hope you have been comfortable?" The voice was warm, polite, instantly likeable, but to Qui-Gon it sounded like a poison: deceiving, deadly.

Xanatos turned toward the Jedi Master, and Qui-Gon waited for the recognition, that snide little smile, the smugness in his eyes. But none came, only an extended hand and the words: "I am Antonio Rechton. You must be Master Qui-Gon Jinn."

Qui-Gon stared at that hand as if it was a deadly weapon. Did Xanatos really expect him to shake hands? To pretend they didn't know each other?

He felt Obi-Wan's presence beside him, tense, waiting for Qui-Gon's lead. But Qui-Gon was at a loss. Should he play Xanatos's game, bide his time and try to figure out his plan? Could he risk letting Xanatos win, risk letting him hurt Obi-Wan?

The tension in the room built rapidly, and the seconds ticked by as Xanatos's hand remained outstretched but untaken, untouched. Finally Shara stepped forward, shooting an angry glare in Qui-Gon's direction.

"I am Jedi Master Shara Estaan, and this is my apprentice, Leyana Raeimi."

Qui-Gon could feel her uncertainty as she said, "This is Master Qui-Gon Jinn, and apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi."

But you already know that, don't you? 

His gaze drifted over Xanatos's familiar features; those deep, dark eyes, that wide taunting mouth, his pale, smooth cheeks-

Qui-Gon blinked in shock. That wasn't right. Where was the circle? The broken circle?

He could vividly remember the time that the circle was formed. It had been in the last battle, the final standoff, or so Qui-Gon had then thought. He did not know Xanatos would return in the future to once again wound him, a wound so deep it had almost cost Obi-Wan's life. He had not known, as he sliced the ring from Santos's father's finger, that it would become a symbol of pure evil. He had not known, as he watched the light fade from Crion's eyes, that it was not the end, that there would never really be an end, and Xanatos's memory would follow him from galaxy to galaxy, always there. He could still hear the hiss of searing flesh as Xanatos pressed the burning metal against his cheek, marking himself with the broken circle, a symbol which would, one day, be known throughout the universe as a ruthless corporation, interested only in greed and riches. A broken circle that would never again be whole, because Xanatos had decided he would rather die than allow Qui-Gon to make him the man he once was.

But where was that circle now? Where was that reminder now?

Qui-Gon heard a slight intake of breath, as Obi-Wan reached the same conclusion as himself.

This isn't Xanatos.

It wasn't just the missing circle, Qui-Gon realised. The air around this man was pure, there were no whisperings of the dark side, warnings of danger, as there had been with Xanatos. There was no evidence of the Force at all.

The realisation that this man was a stranger provoked a whirlwind of emotion inside the Jedi Master, the principle of which was relief. But Qui-Gon could detect something else, something he would never have expected to find.

He was disappointed.

***

Antonio Rechton surveyed the four Jedi through his midnight blue eyes, carefully taking in their appearances, noting how much each one was trying to hide, but still giving away.

The tallest, Qui-Gon Jinn, seemed relaxed in his chair, but Antonio had no doubt he was alert to everything going on in the room. The sharp, blue gaze took in things others didn't see, scratching below the surface. But there were troubles there, a sleepless night, a slightly haunted look. Concern. Concern over the boy beside him.

Obi-Wan Kenobi. A handsome young man, whose dedication to the Jedi would no doubt be tested, perhaps was being tested even now. _Yes._

His eyes sought Leyana, and he smiled inwardly. Young Kenobi had already fallen in love, and with another Jedi no less. Their eyes continually darted towards each other, but they looked away at any actual contact.

Guilt? 

He looked at the fourth Jedi who sat tall in her chair, an almost regal air surrounding her pale skin. She had made a hard decision, he could see it in her eyes. She didn't know if what she was doing was right. Of Laketarian origin, he would have guessed, that smooth skin, those bright eyes. Her beauty was outstanding, although nothing compared to the girl next to her. 

"I understand you have some questions you would like to ask me?" His voice was cool, calm, collected.

"Yes." It was the woman who spoke, her purple eyes searching his face.

Searching for dishonesty. For a murderer.

"How long have you lived on Seratina?"

It wasn't what he'd expected, and the question threw him. Why did they want to know about his past?

 He smiled politely. "I'm sorry, I thought you were here about Marquis Thelos."

"We are, we're just trying to gather some background information."

He nodded, smiled again. "Well, I've grown up here. I was an orphan, you see, abandoned in Sera when I was just a baby. A Seratiniun couple took me in and raised me. It never felt like I was different. Seratina is my home."

"And so you decided to run for Governor."

"At the time of elections, there were threats against Seratina's natural environment from outside corporations. They wanted to use the open spaces to build factories, chalk mines, destroy the planet's natural beauty. They didn't tell the Seratiniuns this, of course, they showed them plans of parks, beautiful, exotic parks, but I discovered their real intentions, and exposed them to the people of Sera. I promised them I would protect their planet. And I have."

 There was a slight defensiveness in his voice that he was sure the Jedi would notice, but she just nodded and asked, "Did you enjoy your time as Governor?"

He smiled. "Very much. I love Seratina with all my heart. I wanted the people of Sera to feel they had a Governor they could trust. I know it is said that all politicians are corrupt, but I wanted to show them it wasn't true."

"Then why did you resign?"

He sighed, and looked out of the window, across the vast ocean that sparkled in the sunlight. "My time was up," he said simply.

The Jedi was looking at him, suspicion written on her face. He would have to say more. "Things become stale, they need changing, to be kept fresh. I did not want my leadership to run dry, so I handed my role to Thelos."

"And now Thelos is dead."

He blanched at her frank tone. "Marquis Thelos was a great friend of mine. If you are planning on accusing me of murdering him, I suggest you do otherwise." His tone was tight with anger, and he forced himself to release the clenched fist, to calm his breathing. Anger would not help him right now.

"We are not accusing you of anything."

Qui-Gon Jinn's very voice seemed to initiate calm, and Antonio relaxed slightly at the older man's words. "We are simply trying to find out who killed him, and why. Do you know of any enemies Thelos had?"

Antonio's eyes widened in surprise. Was this Jedi stupid? "The animal protest groups. They hated Marquis. Couldn't bear the decision he'd made to test on the Teeltas."

"What about Crea Landoor?" asked the woman. "Is he another friend of yours?"

He glanced at her in surprise. "Well, yes. He was my advisor, we're still great friends."

"But is he not a prominent figure among these protest groups?"

He took on a slightly pained look. "Yes," he admitted heavily. "It is rather a sore point between us."

Qui-Gon raised his eyebrows slightly. "And why's that?"

"Because he is wrong!" Antonio burst out. "This medicine will save the planet, it will stop our people from dying. He doesn't have the right to decide over peoples lives!"

"Perhaps you do not have the right to decide over the lives of the Teeltas," Qui-Gon remarked quietly.

Antonio felt a slight flush stain his cheeks. "True," he conceded. "Yet I think this instance may be an exception."

Qui-Gon said nothing, only gazed thoughtfully across the room. After a moment, he spoke. "Do you think Crea Landoor is capable of murdering someone?"

"No. I know Crea. He couldn't do it, he wouldn't. He's got his wife to look out for. He wouldn't take the risk."            

"Sometimes our judgement is clouded by personal feelings."

Antonio sighed with impatience. "Look, you asked me a question, I answered it. No, I don't think Crea is capable of killing someone."

"But he didn't like Thelos, did he?" asked Shara.

Antonio shifted slightly in his chair. "No," he admitted. "But I think this dislike was more to do with me than Marquis. Crea was angry with me for handing over my position, he didn't want me to go. I think he focused the blame on Marquis, because he was the one to step up."

"So that's why he resigned as Advisor? Because he was angry at you?"

"He gave me an ultimatum, a sort of 'if you go, I go' thing. I don't think he expected me to go through with my resignation if it meant his job too. But he didn't realise how important it was to me to keep Sera the city I'd made it, to keep it fresh and full of life."

"But you say you are still great friends. Does he not blame you?"

Antonio laughed. "Crea couldn't function without me," he replied. "We've been friends many, many years. We would do anything for each other. We could never fight, not really. We're too important to each other." 

Abruptly, Qui-Gon stood. "Well thank you for your time, Mr Rechton."

Antonio saw the other Jedi exchange startled glances. Obi-Wan rose. "Yes, we must be leaving," he said, but his eyes were on Qui-Gon. Something obviously wasn't right, and Antonio craved to know what it was, to be let into their world and explore their secrets, but he knew he would be denied any such privilege. 

They were moving towards the door now, and only Leyana stopped to look back at him. Her golden eyes were bright and sparkling, when she smiled she literally lit up the whole room. She was definitely something special.

"Thank you," she said softly, and then she was gone.

***

"He was hiding something."

"Don't be so suspicious. He was perfectly normal."

"He was anything but normal. A Governor at only 22? No normal man could advance that quickly."

"Being brilliant does not make him guilty."

"No, but being guilty does."

Leyana narrowed her eyes at her Master. "I do not believe you can accuse him of being guilty without evidence."

Shara snorted. "And I have no doubt we will find some." 

"Enough." Qui-Gon cut into their argument with a sharp tone, causing silence to ensue. 

"Are you like this every mission?"

Shara and Leyana exchanged a glance. "Pretty much," admitted Leyana. "We always argue about stuff. It's just the way we are."

"Well the way you are is beginning to give me a headache," Qui-Gon snapped, rubbing his temples to illustrate his point. He sighed and passed a hand over tired eyes. "Perhaps we should finish for today, go back to our quarters, have a little space."

"We're beginning to grate on your nerves Qui-Gon," Shara said, a hint of a smile in her voice.

_Yes, _Qui-Gon thought. _You are grating on my nerves, but it's not just that._

The meeting had unsettled him. Seeing Xanatos, or at least who he thought was Xanatos, had stirred too much emotion in him, and throughout the interview all he had been able to think about was his former apprentice. The most disturbing thing of all was that keen sense of disappointment he'd experienced, that almost desperate wish that it _was _Xanatos, and not just a stranger. Did he want to meet Xanatos again? Did he want to be face to face with the man who was once a son, but had betrayed him in the worst, most painful way possible?

He could feel Obi-Wan watching him. They were all watching him, but it was only Obi-Wan's gaze he felt. Only Obi-Wan who knew what he was feeling. 

Shara and Leyana moved away, towards the Dingen, but Qui-Gon was rooted to the spot, struggling to contain his feelings, to hide them. A gentle hand laid on his arm, and he looked up into Obi-Wan's eyes, clear concern written there.

"Master" he began, but Qui-Gon shook him off, and turned away. 

"Not now."

For a moment he could feel the shock and pain in his Padawan, and the boy flinched as if he'd been slapped. But Qui-Gon would not hurt him with his sudden doubts about himself, about Xanatos. He would not wound Obi-Wan like that.

He walked away, leaving Obi-Wan standing alone.

***

They moved in silence, the birds singing songs of carefree pleasure, the sun tracing patterns on their hair.

He could not yet speak, could not yet confront his fears, make them real, so he was silent. And she waited, patiently, ready to listen.

They had been walking half an hour before the first word was uttered, it burst from him, savage, ugly, hated.

"Xanatos."

She remained silent, waiting for him to say more.

"Even in his death he cast a shadow over us."

He turned to look at her then, her beautiful golden eyes steady on his face, all her attention fixed on him.

"He was Qui-Gon's apprentice, before me. The lure of greed and riches was too much for him. It was a long time ago now, but Qui-Gon still feels it like yesterday."

"There are many rumours about Qui-Gon's former apprentice."

He smiled bitterly. "That's what he was to me once too. A rumour. Harmless, intriguing, but non-existent.

He sighed, and sat down on one of the craggy rocks that decorated the rolling hills of Seratina. 

"Xanatos." 

She sat carefully beside him. "Tell me about him," she said. "Tell me what he did to you."

"He tried to kill me," he said softly. "He hated Qui-Gon, and would have done anything to wound him, to destroy him."

"So he went after you."

He nodded. "It was on a planet named Bandomeer." He eyes seemed far away, lost on Bandomeer, lost, once again, in the middle of an ocean, with no one to find him.

"I was imprisoned on a mining platform there, at Xanatos's request, I-" he hesitated, remembering the way Xanatos had tricked him. "I allowed him to plant doubt in my mind, against my self and against Qui-Gon. I wasn't his apprentice then, though I longed to be. He was afraid to take another apprentice, and so he shut me out. Xanatos knew this and used it against me. I didn't trust Qui-Gon, didn't trust that he would bother to look for me. But he did."

He closed his eyes, awash with memories that he had not visited in a long time.

"He returned again and again to haunt us, to torment us. The last battle was on Telos, his home planet. We had followed him there after he had attacked the Jedi Temple. You know he did much damage there. He almost killed my best friend, Bant, but I-" Tears behind his lids, his throat constricted as he felt fingertips brushing his own, saw wide eyes stare at him in shock, heard a body crunch against the rocks. "I tried to save him," he whispered. "I tried."

"I know." 

Warm hands closed over his, and he took a deep, shuddering breath.

"Bruck Chun," he said, and felt stronger from saying the name aloud. "Xanatos ordered him to kill Bant, but I went after him. We fought in the waterfall in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. He wasn't expecting the water to come back on, but I had seen the warning light." He was back in that room, seeing the little red light blink on, fighting his way to a firm foothold, bracing himself against the oncoming spray.

"I reached out to him, but I was too late, could only just touch his fingertips."

He squeezed his eyes tight against the memory, fighting the guilt that still lingered in his heart. When he next spoke his voice was flat, almost dead.

"Xanatos got away, fled to Telos. But Qui-Gon was determined to follow him, and so I went to. Again, he almost killed us, only this time it was his security squad pulling the trigger. He had become very powerful on Telos, and we were proclaimed escaped criminals within moments of arriving, but we managed to discredit him, show the people of Telos who he really was. What he really was.

We followed him to the Sacred Pools, once crystal clear but then ruined by Offworld. He jumped in. The water was highly acidic, and he disintegrated before our very eyes."

His gaze turned over the hills, toward the blue sky.

"He had to end it on his terms, always did. I thought we'd never see him again, but today was too close, stirred too many memories."

"Why today?"

He glanced at her in surprise. It seemed incredulous that she should not know, that she did not realise.

"Antonio Rechton," he said. "He is the splitting image of Xanatos. I thought I was looking at a ghost." His tone turned bitter. "And so, obviously, did Qui-Gon. It's just like before. He's shutting me out." His eyes found hers. "Even Xanatos's memory is causing me to doubt."

"Why are you so afraid of him? He is dead, he can't hurt you. Why does his memory still wound?" 

He sighed. This was the hardest part, the part he wished he could keep from her forever. The part that had nothing to do with Xanatos, but had everything to do with himself.

"I'm afraid of becoming like him. I came close once, too close. I almost left the Jedi forever, almost left Qui-Gon. I wounded Qui-Gon in exactly the same way he did."

"But you came back."

"Does that make any difference?"

"It makes all the difference. You were able to choose right over wrong. You went back to him, showed him that you would not abandon him."

"But doesn't the fact that I left him in the first place make me equally bad?"

"No, because you did it for the right reasons. Xanatos left because he wanted riches. You left because you wanted to help Melida/Daan."

He gave a bitter laugh. "And a lot of good it did them."

"The main thing is that you tried."

He turned away. "You know. Of course you know, everyone knows. They all blamed me."

"I didn't."

Her eyes drew his gaze.

"It only made me realise how precious every moment is, and no matter how many mistakes we make, we can always do good. Obi-Wan-"

Her hand moved across his chest, settling over his beating life force.

"Your heart is pure."

Their eyes locked, and Obi-Wan felt his desires rise. He turned away, gently taking her hand from his heart. 

"Tell me about your friends on Melida/Daan. What was it that made you stay?"

He blinked. He realised she could not know the painful significance of that question, but it still it felt like a mockery. Could he talk to her about Melida/Daan? About Cerasi?

"It was her," he whispered. "Cerasi." 

He had only ever spoken to Bant about Cerasi, had kept her locked up in a tiny box, preserving her memory. He knew now he had held that memory too long a secret.

"She was…indescribable. Vibrant, full of life. She thought she was invincible.

She was like my sister, no more than that. She was the closest friend, the most caring sibling, the fiercest warrior. All she wanted was peace."

He looked at Leyana, finding that gentle, golden glow. 

"She died. I held her in my arms, and watched the life fade from her. Watched her eyes go blank. Felt her body go limp." Tears slipped down his cheeks, but he didn't notice them, lost in the memory of those final moments with Cerasi.

"She was the reason the war ended, her death. She brought peace to her planet, but she never got to see it, never got to enjoy it."

"Do you think she would have had it any other way?"

He shook his head sadly. "No," he replied. "She wouldn't have changed a thing."

For a moment there was silence, then she said softly, "My mother died. Two months ago."

He glanced at her, surprised that she would even know this.

"I met her," she said. "When I visited Levitãs. She was proud, she told me, proud of her daughter. She promised me we would meet again one day, but now it will never be." 

She reached into her robes and pulled out a fine gold chain, the one Obi-Wan had noticed before but never thought to ask about.

"She gave me this."

She held it out to him, and he marvelled at the tiny pendant which hung there. It was a ball of light, literally glowing in her hand.

"It's a family heirloom, handed down from generation to generation, through men and women. She told me it would mean that a part of her would always be with me."

Unshed tears glistened in her eyes. "Even in death."

He took her hand, and they sat there, enjoying the warmth of each other as they relived their most painful memories.

Only as the shadows lengthened did they begin the walk back towards Sera, two figures, framed by the setting sun, made one by their joined hands.

***

Two black eyes followed the Jedi as they moved, oblivious, into the distance. A figure, hidden in the shadows of a tree, smiled to itself, pleased by the things it had heard. 

"Little Jedi, little Jedi," it sang softly.

In the trees the birds ceased their songs, and the animal in the woods grew still. They cowered, fearful of the evil that permeated the air.

The figure smiled.

"You'll soon be mine."

***


	9. In The Rain

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Sorry it's been aaaages since I updated (if I even have any readers left after such a huge wait.) Serious case of writer's block, even though this is the chapter I've most been looking forward to writing. I hope the length makes up a little bit though. 

Don't be afraid to push the button. Please. 

Qui-Gon was resting when Obi-Wan got back. He heard him enter the room, but kept his eyes closed and his breathing even, not yet ready to face his Padawan.

In his mind's eye he could see Obi-Wan pause, hesitate, unwilling to disturb his Master, then tread carefully to the door, closing it behind him.

Qui-Gon opened his eyes, his gaze fixed on the coloured glass ceiling above.

What was he doing? Why was he shutting Obi-Wan out again, why didn't he just talk to the boy?

What is wrong with me? 

He hadn't even apologised for his behaviour earlier, for the way he'd dismissed his apprentice. _What must Obi-Wan now be thinking? _

Qui-Gon didn't know what to do. If he told Obi-Wan the truth, then Obi-Wan may feel Qui-Gon was still clinging to Xanatos's memory, but if he didn't tell him, Obi-Wan would think Qui-Gon was shutting him out on purpose.

Either way, I can't win.

And since when had it become a win/lose situation? Things had never been that way with Obi-Wan, they had never needed to be. So what had changed?

Everything.

He was inclined to blame this on Leyana, but knew that wasn't really fair. She was as unaware of her feelings as Obi-Wan. Shara, then, had to be the cause. She was the one who refused to tell the truth, to conceal the nature of the situation. But that wasn't fair either. Shara was trying to do her best for Leyana, trying to make things right for her.

So the blame still lies with me.

Yes, Qui-Gon knew it was his own fault they were in such a situation. He should have insisted Shara tell the truth, should have told Obi-Wan himself, should have been stronger. 

But he hadn't done any of those things, and now Obi-Wan was slipping through his fingers as does a handful of sand, and there was nothing he could do about it.

***

"Qui-Gon still shutting you out?"

Obi-Wan nodded sadly. "He was pretending to sleep when I got back."

Leyana raised an eyebrow at him. "Pretending?"

"Definitely."

"Then perhaps you should go and talk to him," she suggested lightly.

"No way," he snapped. "If Qui-Gon wants to talk to me, he can come and find me. I'm staying right here." He sat heavily on her bed, folding his arms like a spoilt child. 

She smiled slightly. "That's all very well," she said. "But do you mind not sitting on my lightsaber?"

For a second he froze, then grinned sheepishly and pulled it from under him. "I thought your bed was nobbly."

She laughed and rolled her eyes. _This is nice, _she thought. _Just sitting, talking, laughing. Nothing to worry about. We're just friends. Nice, comfortable friends._

"I'm hungry," complained Obi-Wan.

"You're always hungry."

"We missed dinner," he pointed out. "Of course I'm hungry."

She sighed. "And I don't suppose you'll let the subject rest until you've had some food?"

Obi-Wan pretended to look thoughtful. "Definitely not."

She laughed. "Then I suppose we'll have to find you something to eat. Come on, it's still early, we can go into the city."

They left the Hall of Negotiations, and entered the night scene of Sera, where the streets thrived. Although the night was clear it was perfectly warm, and they strolled contentedly along, arm in arm, relaxed in each other's company.

They seated themselves outside a cosy café near the centre, and, once Obi-Wan had ordered ridiculous amounts of food, Leyana felt it safe to broach the topic of Qui-Gon again.

"How long do you think it'll take him to come round?"

Obi-Wan shrugged, not needing to ask who she meant. "I don't know," he said honestly. He sighed, and leaned forward onto the table. "The truth is there's something else wrong."

Leyana frowned. "What?"

He sighed again, suddenly irritated. "I don't know, that's the problem. Something's bothering him, but he won't tell me what it is. I-" He broke off, shaking his head in frustration. "I don't know what to do."

She smiled, touched his hand gently. "You'll be alright. You just need time to work through this. You've had hard times before, but you're still together."

He smiled slightly. "You have such a great relationship with Shara. I can't imagine you ever fighting."

She laughed. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. She drives me crazy."

"But she loves you."

"True. And Qui-Gon loves you. You're his Padawan."

"So was Xanatos."

"Was," she said softly. "Not any more."

He reached out to brush a tendril of golden hair from her cheek. "How did you become so wise?"

She smiled. "Some people are just born with it."

He laughed, winding the strand around his hand carefully, almost lovingly.

She looked at him. The words were on the tip of her tongue, she could almost taste them.

"Obi-Wan, I-"

An angry shriek pierced the air, breaking her words mid-sentence. For a moment there was silence, then more cries and shouts, cries of pain, shouts of rage.

The two exchanged a short look. She nodded. "Come on."

With Obi-Wan on her heels she ran through the streets towards the sounds, which were becoming louder. She turned a corner, into the Square of Remembrance, and what she saw there made her stop short.

The white marble memorials, great Seratiniun figures from past wars, had been disfigured. Arms lay shattered on the ground, their weapons torn from their marble grasps. One even had its head missing.

But this wasn't the worst of the damage.

The huge memorial plaque that held the names of thousands of warriors killed over the years was no longer pristine white. Red, ugly letters marked the snowy stone. Taunts and threats.

Government scum.

_Murderers._

_Killers._

Leyana stared in shock, unable to fully comprehend what she was seeing, or why she had to be seeing it.

She turned to Obi-Wan, whose eyes mirrored her feelings. "Who did this?" she whispered.

He shook his head grimly. "I have no idea, but we have to find Qui-Gon and Shara."

She nodded. _Yes, find Shara._

A female voice pierced the general hubbub, ringing loud and clear.

"Jedi!" It cried. "The Jedi were sent to protect us. They should have prevented this!"

As one, the crowd turned to look at Obi-Wan and Leyana. Leyana swallowed, feeling suddenly as though she was a deer standing in front of a pack of hungry wolves.

She barely had time to register the threat of attack before it actually took place. A swarm of Seratiniuns landed on her, capturing her hands before she could reach for her lightsaber. 

"Jedi scum!" A voice yelled, and she felt a shot of fear, pure fear. Obi-Wan had disappeared from her sight, and she was helpless as a thousand hands held her fast, her single strength useless against their collective one.

They're going to tear us apart.

She was helpless. Helpless as someone picked up the marble head, and brought it crashing into her skull.

***

Leyana opened her eyes, squinting at the bright light which flooded her vision.

_Ow._

Her head hurt. Really hurt.

"But at least I'm alive," she muttered.

"That always helps," said a wry voice.

_Obi-Wan._

She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again he was leant over her, gently feeling the bandages in her head.

"You took quite a blow," he remarked.

"I know I can feel it." She winced as she shifted, pain shooting across her chest. "I have a feeling they got my ribs too."

He nodded solemnly. "Several kicks to the chest."

"Ouch," she smiled slightly. "How about you?"

"I'm fine. Managed to stop them from killing you before Qui-Gon and Shara arrived."

"Thanks." She paused. "Where are Shara and Qui-Gon?"

"With Cahn, trying to sort it all out. They were pretty angry."

She grinned. "I'm surprised Shara didn't try to press charges."

He laughed. "She did, but I think Qui-Gon calmed her down."

She sighed and closed her eyes, sudden weariness washing over her. 

"You should sleep," Obi-Wan whispered.

She nodded, already finding conscious thought slipping away.

"I'll be here," he said.

She smiled. "I know you will."

***

 Shara glared angrily at the Seratiniun across from her.

"My apprentice was almost killed!" she yelled.

Qui-Gon, laid a calming hand on her arm, and she visibly swallowed, forcing her anger away. "I would like to see some kind of disciplinary action," she finished carefully.

"We understand," said Qui-Gon, "that it is not our place to instruct you in these matters," he felt Shara stiffen slightly, " however we do feel the danger of the situation had increased dramatically since our arrival, and that it cannot continue."

The Seratiniun frowned. "Do you wish to leave Seratina?" he asked.

"No," said Qui-Gon. "We are here to complete our mission. But we would like guarantee that your people will not attack us."

"You want personal protection?"

Shara sighed. "We don't need _protection,_" she snapped.

Qui-Gon resisted the urge to scowl at her tone and said, "We just need peace of mind."

The Seratiniun (who, it seemed, was not the brightest one in the bunch) narrowed his eyes and said, "I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean."

Qui-Gon could feel Shara's frustration mounding. He wasn't sure how long she could keep her head, knowing Leyana could still be in danger.

"Masters," interrupted Cahn, his calm voice a welcome. "Perhaps we should take a small break."

The two Jedi nodded, relief obvious on their faces. 

"Let's go outside," Qui-Gon suggested gently.

Without replying, Shara strode from the room, her robes rustling against the marble floor. Qui-Gon followed her, and only spoke when they reached an outer courtyard decorated with a stone fountain.

"I know you are worried, but you must control yourself. We are negotiators."

She whirled to face him, and he was surprised to see the trace of tears in her eyes. She always seemed so proud, he thought she would rather die than let him see her tears. 

"How can I be calm?" she snapped. "Leyana is lying in a hospital bed because of them! They tried to kill her!"

"Tensions are high, the people are worried, upset." He held up a hand as she made to interrupt him. "I am not excusing their behavior, merely looking for an explanation."

She turned away, sinking onto the edge of the fountain.

"I'm afraid," she whispered, and the raw emotion in her voice gripped his heart. "There have been so many threats. And I won't always be there to protect her. I _can't_ always be there."

For a moment Qui-Gon didn't reply, turning his gaze to the brightly coloured flowers that decorated the courtyard wall. 

"Perhaps," he suggested carefully. "It may be wise to let Leyana get away from the city for a day."

Shara glanced at him, eyebrows raised. "Meaning?"

"She could interview Crea Landoor. It would give her a chance to forget about the events of yesterday, and you were saying you wanted her to do something on her own."

Shara hesitated, then shook her head. "I don't think she should be alone. She's too vulnerable at the moment. Who knows when that maniac might next pop up."

Inwardly, Qui-Gon winced. He hadn't wanted to do this, every bone in his body spoke against it. However…"Obi-Wan can go with her."

Shara looked thoughtful. "They _would_ be more alert now, more prepared than at the metal works." She smiled slightly. "I think it would be good for both of them."

Qui-Gon nodded slowly. "Perhaps it would."

"Tomorrow then?"

"Tomorrow. However, they should dress in common clothes, to avoid any suspicion."

Shara looked pleased. "I agree. Then that's all settled." She smiled brightly, then began to make her way back towards the path. She stopped and glanced at Qui-Gon over her shoulder. 

"Are you coming?"

He nodded, slowly walking towards her. They had made their plan, and it was perfectly sensible.

_Why then,_ he wondered,_ does it feel as if tomorrow could be the undoing of everything?_

***

The sun was brighter than usual. It poured from the clear, jewel-like sky, bathing everything in a warm, golden glow. Flowers turned their faces to the blue above, their petals reaching for the light, drinking in the goodness.

Leyana had risen early that morning, and meditated for a full three hours to prepare herself for the day ahead. She felt that, since she had been given so much responsibility, she wanted to prove to Shara she was capable, that she could work on her own. Maybe even that she was ready for the trials.

She pushed that thought aside now, as she followed Obi-Wan across the rolling hills of a grassy meadow. The council would judge when she was ready. It was not something she should dwell on.

It really was the most beautiful day. She wanted to stay in this exact spot, just to admire the beauty of it all.

As if reading her thoughts, Obi-Wan stopped and looked at her with a slight smile.

"We have a long way to go."

"I know, I know," she sighed slightly. "It's just so beautiful. It makes me feel…" She broke off, unsure how to put it into words.

"Blessed," Obi-Wan said quietly. "Blessed that we are able to see it, to experience it."

 She smiled at him. "Exactly," she whispered.

They turned and continued walking as one, their shadows small in the midday heat, two travellers on a journey, though neither could of known where it would take them.

***

It was late afternoon when they reached Orland's Point, home of Crea Landoor.

His house didn't hold the same scale of grandness that Antonio Rechton's had, but nevertheless, rose elegantly before the Jedi, and showed clear signs of wealth.

_Which probably means greed isn't far behind,_ thought Obi-Wan grimly.

In his experience, riches only made people want one thing: more riches.

He stole a quick glance at Leyana out of the corner of his eye.

She looked beautiful. More than beautiful. _Perfect._

The white clothing she was wearing only served to make her golden skin glow even brighter than usual. She looked very much like Obi-Wan imagined an angel would look. Fresh and dazzling and _perfect._

She gestured to the grand front entrance with a slightly rye smile. 

"Shall we?"

Obi-Wan knocked twice with the ornate silver knocker, the sound echoing throughout the house beyond.

After a moment the door opened to reveal a small Seratiniun with flowing silver hair, dressed in a garment of beautiful purple that shimmered in the sunlight. She surveyed the Jedi with her wide, moon-like eyes and raised her eyebrows, her expression cold and indifferent. She did not speak, just stared at them until Obi-Wan felt compelled to speak.

"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi, and this is Leyana Raeimi. We are Jedi, here to speak with Crea Landoor."

Still the woman did not reply but sneered slightly, then turned back into the house allowing the door to swing shut behind her.

"Well," said Leyana. "That was interesting."

Obi-Wan glanced at her, and was vaguely annoyed to find her smiling.

"This isn't amusing," he said.

She laughed outright at that. "Wow, you sounded just like Qui-Gon then."

He scowled. "I sound nothing like Qui-Gon," he snapped. "And please tell me exactly what we are supposed to do now."

She sighed a long-suffering sigh, then pushed passed him to the door and knocked. Loudly.  

The door opened again and the woman re-appeared. She narrowed her eyes when she saw Leyana there, and made to shut the door again, but Leyana pushed it back firmly.

"Please," she said. "Like we were going to disappear when the door closed. We need to see Crea Landoor. Now."

When the woman didn't move Leyana sighed loudly and said, "If you don't like us, that's fine. But your planet is in danger, and we are really just trying to help."

The woman pursed her lips slightly.

"Stay here," she said, her voice soft and surprisingly gentle, an almost dream-like quality to it.

The door closed again.

Obi-Wan and Leyana exchanged a look. This was getting stranger and stranger.

The door opened a third time, and now in front of them stood a different Seratiniun, taller. He immediately gestured them inside with an apologetic smile, saying, "Please forgive my wife. She is not well. You are, of course, welcome in our home."

Obi-Wan remembered Antonio Rechton's words during their interview. _He's got his wife to look out for. He wouldn't take the risk._

Was this what he had meant? That Landoor's wife was ill?

Landoor exchanged the Seratiniun greeting with each of them, unnecessarily announcing his name. "I'm glad you are here. Antonio said he thought you would be in touch."

Obi-Wan glanced at Leyana, who raised an eyebrow slightly.

He forced a smile. "I hope we are not intruding."

"Not at all. Not at all. Please, come into the parlour."

'Parlour' was a little modest. Ballroom sprang to Obi-Wan's mind as they entered the huge hall, made completely of a sort of black stone, which held swirling, white patterns.

"Onyx marble," said Landoor, noticing Obi-Wan's gaze. "The only room made entirely of onyx marble in the whole galaxy," he added proudly.

As Landoor turned to lead them further into the room, Leyana leaned toward Obi-Wan and whispered "Three guesses why."

Obi-Wan smothered a laugh. It was rather…depressing.

They talked a little about Landoor's background, about his reasons for leaving the government, and for joining the protest groups. It was exactly the sort of things Obi-Wan would have expected him to say.

No he didn't regret his decision to resign, yes he believed the groups were working for a good cause, no he didn't think violence could solve problems.

Obi-Wan noticed that Landoor was very skilled at skimming the surface of the questions: answering them and moving on before the Jedi had a chance to elaborate. However, Obi-Wan was not about to sit around and be led by the nose. 

Leyana obviously had the same idea, because she leaned toward him and breathed "Time to get personal." in his ear, before asking, "What kind of illness has your wife got, Mr Landoor?"

Obi-Wan resisted the urge to smile. Trust Leyana to go for the killer.

Landoor looked slightly flustered. "She's, well, she's very ill."

Leyana smiled sweetly, and waited for him to elaborate.

Landoor sighed, and rubbed a gloved hand across his eyes. "It's an illness of the mind. It attacks the memory, removes rational thought, messes up the brain." He paused, then said softly "It's fatal."

Leyana reached out a slender hand and touched one of Landoor's gloved ones gently. 

"I'm sorry there is nothing we can do," she said.

Landoor smiled. "Your kind words are enough."

Leyana didn't reply, but seemed suddenly fascinated with his glove.

"What a beautiful glove!" she exclaimed. 

"Oh, why thank you."

Was it Obi-Wan's imagination, or did Landoor suddenly seem nervous?

Leyana stroked the jewel-studded material. "It's exquisite. Do you mind…?"

Before he could protest, Leyana pulled the glove from his hand.

Obi-Wan stared. 

Crea Landoor only had five fingers.

***

They didn't stay long after that.

It seemed Landoor was determined to dodge the rest of their questions, and the Jedi had a long way to go back before nightfall. They didn't see the point in wasting their time and learning nothing.

The air had changed dramatically when they stepped outside. Instead of the clear, blue sky and sunshine that had hailed them all day, dark clouds now hovered ominously above them, threatening to break and release a downpour at any moment.

Leyana scowled. 

"Great. Whose idea was it to walk again?" She sighed. "What a completely wasted journey. We didn't learn anything we couldn't have found in the government information lab."

"Interesting though, about his fingers, wasn't it?"

"I suppose so. A farming accident." She made a slight face. "Imagine being two fingers down your whole life."

"I'd rather not."

She smiled, and then shivered.

"How is it suddenly so cold?"

"I don't know, but we'd better hurry."

She nodded, and they set off at a brisk pace, eager to escape the threatening rain clouds.       

They had been travelling a good hour before the first lightning struck. 

Leyana jumped and grabbed Obi-Wan's arm as the great fork of light split the sky, followed only moments later by a terrific crack of thunder.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at her, and she blushed.

"Sorry," she muttered. "It startled me."

He laughed, eyes so bright, lips so inviting, and she felt something dance through her, something completely unconnected to the lightning and thunder, something she knew she shouldn't be feeling, but no longer cared.

Desire.

Obi-Wan placed a gentle hand under her chin, tilting it upwards slightly.

The clouds finally broke and heavy rain burst from the skies, but neither seemed to notice.

There was no hesitation as he leaned down toward her, as she stretched her neck up toward him. They did not try to fight or pull away.   

Their lips met. Softness against softness.

The rain fell around them as they stayed frozen in their kiss, his hand still under her chin, lost in an eternal moment that would be forever etched into their hearts.

A second, simultaneous, burst of thunder and lightning caused them to jump apart, shock at the sudden nearness of the storm racing through them.

Obi-Wan laughed again, and wrapped his arms around her, the most natural thing in the world. She rested her head against his chest, peering through the abrupt darkness that surrounded them.

It didn't feel strange or wrong. It felt timeless, as if they had always been like this. All thoughts of Jedi morality had disappeared with the sun. They were exactly how they should be. Together.

"We have to find shelter," Leyana said, raising her voice over the noise of the storm.

Obi-Wan nodded. "There were some trees back there." He gestured vaguely behind them.

Leyana nodded. "It's better than nothing."

He took her hand, and they ran towards the dark shapes in the distance, barely discernible against the inky sky. It was only one tree, but the thick branches drooped down to the ground, creating a chamber-like space beneath them.

They squeezed through a gap in the leafy curtain, and marvelled at the dryness inside. It was pitch black, but Obi-Wan pulled a glow rod from his belt, illuminating the space with a soft blue light.

Leyana smiled and shook water from her hair. Obi-Wan watched her, thinking she had never looked so beautiful. She glanced up, their eyes catching.

"I love you."

His hand reached out to stroke her cheek in the gentlest of touches, and she turned her head to kiss his fingers, soft as a butterfly.

"I love you."

It didn't matter who said it first. They could never recall exactly who it was afterwards. They were both feeling the same thing, the same heated love and desire that filled their minds and bodies.

Obi-Wan reached for the knot in the fastenings of her shirt. He undid it, unwinding the material from around her waist with careful, loving hands, his movements unhurried, finding such perfect delight as her golden skin was slowly revealed to him.

She reached for the material of his tunic, sliding it over his smooth chest and back, lifting it over his head, discarding it beside them.

They held each other, skin against naked skin, the heat of love and lust radiating from their bodies.

He lowered her to the soft grass beneath them, brushing gentle kisses across her eyelids, nose, cheeks, lower to her throat, then along the collarbone, delighting at the dusting of golden freckles he found there.

And later, much later, he kissed her lips as they clung to one another and gasped words of love in the garden of ecstasy.    

***

And thanks to Emma who said the most romantic thing was to kiss in the rain. I hope you all enjoyed it!  


	10. Mystery

Hey everyone. Thanks for all your reviews on the last chapter, some of them were really encouraging. I'm tres annoyed at myself because when I first started writing this story (way back when in May or something) I set myself a deadline of Christmas. Well, obviously I've missed that, and I have no idea when I'm going to finish this. The story's getting more and more complicated (remind me never to write anything with a plot again!), but the end is in sight (woohoo!). I'm sorry it's taken me so long to write this chapter, and that it's so damn short, I'm suffering from serious lack of inspiration. I have no idea when the next chapter will be finished, but I assure that, some day, I WILL finish this story. It's gonna happen! I hope you enjoy this (even though it's barely the length of an ant!). 

Leyana stirred, a smile softening her lips as the arms holding her tightened.

"I love you," Obi-Wan murmured in her ear.

"Mmm." She turned in his embrace, kissed him gently on the lips.

"I love you too."

The tension had gone, swept away with their passion, and their newfound love and honesty pulsed in the air between them, creating an unbreakable bond.

She laid her cheek against his, listening to the birds serenade the early morning sun, the night's storm merging into day.

"I could lie here forever."

He chuckled. "Maybe we should."

He stroked her hair with his fingertips and she closed her eyes, enjoying the intimacy of the moment.

A sharp bleep shattered the peaceful air, and they started as the reality of Obi-Wan's comlink brought them floating back down to the planet surface.

They exchanged a glance.

 "You'd better answer it," she said.

He nodded, reaching slowly for the metal. "Qui-Gon?"

The Jedi Master's voice was curt. "Where are you?"

Obi-Wan looked at Leyana. "Sheltering. The storm knocked out our communications."

"Hurry back," snapped Qui-Gon in reply. "Crea Landoor is dead."

***

In his room at the Hall of Negotiations, Qui-Gon tried to curb his impatience and look at the situation rationally. 

They were just stranded by the storm, that's all. It doesn't change anything. Why are you letting this get to you?

He shook his head in frustration.

He trusted Obi-Wan, he did. He had no reason not to. As Shara had said, young love comes and goes. Obi-Wan wouldn't do anything rash.

Would he?

Xanatos would've.

"Xanatos is nothing like Obi-Wan," he snapped.

The room was silent.

Well, what did he expect? Someone to leap out from behind a curtain and put his mind to rest?  
An unexpected knock at the door burst into the room, and Qui-Gon jumped, then shook his head, disgusted with himself.

What is wrong with me? 

"Come in."

Shara entered, looking tired, irritated.

"I just spoke with Leyana," she said. "They're nearly back."

Qui-Gon nodded. "Obi-Wan said the same thing."

Shara gave him a sort of sideways look. "Then I suppose it's back to see Antonio Rechton."

He sighed inwardly. How he did not want to see that man again. How he hated the emotions it stirred in him.

"Yes," he said aloud. "I suppose so."

"Qui-Gon," Shara ventured. "Are you…alright?"

"I'm fine." His tone sounded stiff, starched.

She hesitated, then nodded and said. "I'll see you in about half an hour."

He didn't reply.

He could feel Shara, hesitating, by the door.

"Look," she said finally. "If there's something wrong, maybe you should just tell me."

"I'm fine," he ground out.

"Well you're obviously not fine, are you? Is it Rechton, because you've been acting strange since we saw him. I think perhaps-"

"You think perhaps what?" he snapped, his self-control finally going. "You think perhaps it has anything to do with you?"

"Yes, actually I do. Because it's affecting the mission. It's affecting you and Obi-Wan."

For a moment Qui-Gon thought he'd misheard, but no, the words hung between them real, audible and very true.

"How dare you," he hissed. "How dare you question Obi-Wan and myself. How dare you-"

He stopped and took a deep breath, forcing the anger away, controlling his mind and emotions.

"I do not believe I wish to discuss this particular matter with you."

"Fine," she snapped. "Just fine."

Silence fell between them, each refusing to look at the other.  

Heavy tension hung in the air, Qui-Gon's seething mind registering only his anger at her invasion.

He barely noticed the faint hissing. When he finally allowed it to penetrate his conscious, it was far too late.

Through a fogged mind, Qui-Gon saw Shara fold to the ground as the poison invaded her system. Then blackness occupied him, and he followed. 

***

Obi-Wan raced up to the Hall of Negotiations, Leyana at his heels. They skidded across the entrance hall towards the lifts, heedless if the polite "Good Morning" from the concierge.

"C'mon!" Obi-Wan pounded the button with his fist, impatiently. Leyana reached out and touched his arm.

"Calm down," she said softly. "Everything's okay. We'll get the information on Landoor, we'll figure it out."

Obi-Wan didn't reply. Something else gave speed to his actions, some sort of desperate urgency…he just wasn't sure why.

The lift arrived with a ping, and they jumped in, Obi-Wan tapping his foot as it made its ascent. They flew down the corridor, Obi-Wan's head buzzing with the information he could still not absorb.

Crea Landoor dead? They had seen him, yesterday, alive and well.

He burst into the room, shouting "Qui-Gon! Shara!"

But the room was empty.

***

Obi-Wan stared around the vacant room. Something wasn't right. 

There was something in the air, something he couldn't quite put a finger on…

"That's odd," said Leyana. "Very odd. Where are they?"

"You're guess is as good as mine."

What was it? Something hanging, something…poisonous? 

"We should find Cahn."

"Wait." He held up a hand, signalling her to stand still. "I think there's something…"

He closed his eyes, feeling the blanket of the Force around him, pulsing, protecting.

Show me, he said silently. Show me what is it.

But all he could see was Qui-Gon turning away from him, pretending to be asleep, brushing his concern aside. 

Shutting me out.

He sighed, opening his eyes only to be faced with the reality of the empty room. Empty.

Leyana took his hand in hers. She stroked her thumb across his palm.

"They're fine," she said. 

He raised hid eyebrows at her. "You don't believe that anymore than I do."

"No," she replied. "They may be in danger, but they're okay." She smiled slightly. "Shara always is."

Obi-Wan didn't reply. He thought of the time Qui-Gon had been taken by a mad scientist who had almost killed him trying to understand the Force. He remembered the fear that had filled his heart as he saw his Master, so helpless, so near death.

"I hope you're right," he whispered.

***

Shara awoke with a definite grogginess. Her head ached, her eyes stung, her ears rang. And she didn't know where she was.

She was aware that she couldn't move her arms, or her legs, in fact her entire body seemed to be immobilised. She could only turn her head, and even that hurt.

She seemed, somehow, to be suspended, only inches above a silver floor. She could just make out Qui-Gon to her left, but could not see above her, anything that wasn't almost directly beside her.

Nor could she remember how she had come to be there in the first place.

"Qui-Gon."

Her voice sounded funny, quite slow and croaky, as if she'd gone a week without sleep.

"Qui-Gon!" 

He didn't respond.

She closed her eyes, surprised by how much just that small effort had taken out of her.

There must be something really wrong with me.

Her ears alerted her to footsteps. Heavy footsteps.

She opened one eye, but could only see a pair of black boots, so ordinary they could have been her own. Only bigger.

A finger stroked her hair, running down along her spine, causing an painful shiver to wrack her muscles.

A chuckle.

She felt breath on her ear, and a sharp pain at the base of her spine.

A needle.

"Not yet," a voice whispered. 

Her mind turned fuzzy. She slipped away.

"Not yet."

***

After finding their quarters mysteriously empty, Obi-Wan and Leyana went to find Cahn to see if he knew anything of their Masters' whereabouts.

He seemed pleased to see them, silvery eyes lowing as he kissed their cheeks in greeting.

"Good news," he said happily. "The list of candidates for Governor has been assembled. Antonio Rechton is one of them."

Leyana raised her eyebrows slightly. "Really," she murmured. "That's very interesting."

"Who else is running?" Obi-Wan asked.

Cahn opened a file lying on the desk infront of him and pulled out a data sheet.

"Leila Arcs. 35, believes greatly in preserving Seratina's natural side. Alessandrio Kayala. 50, more interested in the business prospects. Big on import and export. Antonio Rechton. 24, promises to continue the high standards Thelos set and retain his legacy to Seratina."

Leyana shook her head slightly. "Governor at only 22, and now he could be looking at another term in office. That's quite an accomplishment."

"Well," said Cahn, lowering his voice slightly. "Just between us, I think there's a good chance of him winning again."

"You don't sound too pleased," commented Obi-Wan.

Cahn blew out a deep breath and leant back in his chair.

"Not too much is known now about Antonio Rechton," he admitted. "He was a wonderful child, sweet, gentle, always willing to be involved in a good cause. He never once thought he was any different from the other children. He didn't even seem to notice."

He smiled, eyes far away.

"I remember one summer a row of houses down by the western river collapsed, and the families lost everything, their homes, their possessions, everything. There was a huge collection of things, clothes, food, etc. Antonio brought more than anyone. Cleaned his house out of food." He laughed slightly. "Yes, he was a good kid."

"And now?" Leyana asked.

Cahn's eyes darkened slightly.

"He went away for a few months, when he was eighteen. No one knows where exactly. He said he was going travelling, for a year or two, but came back after only three months. Just appeared one day, no explanation, no stories, no anything. He'd changed somehow. No one could quite put their finger on it, but we all knew it was there. His attitude. He became obsessed with politics, obsessed with becoming Governor, something he'd never cared about before. And his appearance was…different. So you would hardly notice it. His hair would be a bit darker, or his eyes a little bluer, his nose a little straighter. The changes were small, gradual, but definitely there. His mother said it was just part of growing up."

Cahn's face twisted in the smallest of sneers. "He is considered Seratina's saviour."

"You don't trust him," Leyana said.

"No I don't," Cahn admitted. "There's something when you look in his eyes, something not quite right…"

He shook his head slightly, then smiled.

"But excuse me, going on, when I expect you're here to ask about your Masters."

"Uh, yes." Leyana smiled curiously. "How did you know?"

"They left you a message."

Cahn touched a small silver button on his desk, and a small, blue, image of Qui-Gon sprung to life.

"Obi-Wan. We've gone to see Antonio Rechton again. Stay in the Hall of Negotiations. We will be back shortly." 

The image disappeared.

Obi-Wan glanced at Leyana, who raised her eyebrows at him slightly.

Suspicious?

Highly.

He nodded, only a tiny jerk of the head, then looked Cahn.

"Thank you. I think we'll return to our quarters."

Cahn smiled. "If you need anything, just call me."

As soon as they were out of the Seratiniuns's sight, Obi-Wan leaned toward Leyana and muttered "Something's not right."

"What makes you think that?" she responded dryly.

They nodded politely at the other Seratiniuns in the lift, both burning with impatience to share their suspicions.

Safe in Leyana's quarters, they sat side by side on the bed, shoulders brushing.

"That wasn't Qui-Gon," Obi-Wan said.

"No," she agreed. "There was something about his…"

"Mannerisms," Obi-Wan supplied. "The way he moved, spoke, it was just…"

"Not quite right," she finished.

"Exactly."

They both sat in contemplative silence, wondering exactly what this could mean.

"There's only one thing to do." Obi-Wan stood up.

Leyana followed suit. "Find them ourselves."

***

A gentle humming filled the air.

The figure dressed in black smiled to itself as it held the vial electric blue liquid, handling it as carefully as a baby.

This liquid had a very special purpose. Oh yes.

The figure hummed a little more as he placed the vial into a metal case. Safe and sound.

"Soon my pets," it called out softly. "Very soon."

The two Jedi remained motionless, eyes closed, oblivious.

***


	11. High Stakes

Ok, I know this chapter is unbelievably short, but the stories coming nearer to the end, and i'm going for a suspense-thing, though not sure if it's working. Thanks to Bloody Dead Rose who remains a faithful reader (in fact, the only reader I think!) and sorry the whole thing so taking so long. A note on the whole Mary Sue thing: I apologise greatly if Leyana has Mary Sue-ish tendencies, I never actually wrote her as one, but she has probably turned out that way. Still, I hope you don't find her too annoying! Anyway, enjoy the next chapter (even though this is the size of half an ant!) 

The room was cool with a sterile feel to it, the bodies laid on metal tables that lined the walls as desks in a classroom. Crea Landoor was the last on the right. His body had a slightly yellowish tinge to it, his silver eyes wide and staring, vacant. 

The coroner glanced briefly at the Jedi over the top of a clipboard, her tone short and business like as she described the extent of injuries.

"Small bruise to left temple, fractured collar bone, most likely caused by a hard edged surface, and a needle mark to the left wrist. It is inconclusive how old the needle mark is, but the bruise is in its final stages of development, meaning it was most likely caused some time ago. The fracture was recent, most probable just before his death."

Leyana raised her eyebrows, questioning. "But these are all superficial injuries, they couldn't have killed him."

The coroner nodded briskly. "No," she agreed. "The cause of death is rather unusual."

"Unusual, how?" asked Obi-Wan.

"The death was caused by the imploding of his heart."

There was a short silence as each tried to contemplate this. 

"His heart?" Leyana repeated doubtfully. "How could that be caused?"

"We have no idea."

The coroner picked up a small vial of electric blue liquid from a worktop.

"We recovered this from his blood. We have no idea what it is, but we suspect this is what caused such an adverse effect on the heart. The manner in which the heart walls have caved suggests something was putting a physical force on the heart, weakening it and, eventually, eroding enough of the muscle to successfully collapse it."

"How long would all this take?" asked Leyana.

"Ten minutes, give or take a few. The remaining heart wall shows a sudden decline in the layers of muscle, showing it was a fairly quick process."

"This liquid," Obi-Wan gestured to the vial in her hand. "You know anything about it?"

"We know whatever it does works on a time release."

"Time release?"

"A substance which can be administered days, hours, even years before the desired effects will take place."

"How do you know this is a time release substance?"

"Molecular structure," she replied shortly.

"But you don't know what it does."

"No." She sighed impatiently. "Look, we're doing our best here, but we've never seen anything like this before, and we are having to work around the clock to discover the source. If you have no further questions, I have research to do. I'll contact you as soon as any new information becomes available."

Outside, Leyana rubbed a tired hand over her eyes.

"Well, that got us absolutely nowhere."

"True," Obi-Wan agreed. "What now?"

After leaving the Hall of Negotiations, Obi-Wan and Leyana had followed various leads on their Masters' location, only to find each one held no answers. Both Jedi were tired, worried, and fuelled by a sense of urgency they didn't like too much.

"Landoor's wife?" she suggested.

Obi-Wan sighed and nodded. "It's worth a try."

They hailed a Dingen-taxi which agreed to take them out to Orland's Point for a sufficient fee, that Obi-Wan grudgingly agreed to pay, and were standing outside the Landoor household barely an hour later, trying to ignore the gathering clouds which felt suspiciously like a bad omen.   

Neela Landoor looked paler, more frail than the last time they saw her. Her movements were slow and placid; she seemed unaware of her surroundings, staring blankly out of the window, never looking at the Jedi.

"Mrs Landoor...Neela," Leyana began gently. "We've come-"

"I know why you've come." 

Her voice was whispery, tired.

"You've come to ask about him. You know what he was doing."

Obi-Wan glanced at Leyana. "What was he doing Neela?"

"You know," she repeated softly. "I know you know."

"Neela," Leyana leaned forward. "Please, you must tell us what you know. It's very important."

"He didn't want to hurt anyone." She seemed far away, unaware of Leyana's words. "He would never hurt anyone. Not my Crea. He loved me, you know." She shifted now, ghostly eyes fixed on Leyana's face. "He loved me so very much. He would have done anything for me."

Leyana smiled. "Yes, I know. Neela, do you know who could have killed him, why someone would have wanted to kill him?"

"Because of what he knew."

"What? What did he know?"

"Golden slumber kiss your eyes, smiles await you when you rise."

The singing was soft, a haunting tune which sent uneasy shivers down Leyana's spine. 

"Neela. Please…"  
"Sleep, pretty baby"

"Neela-"

"Do not cry, and I'll sing you a lullaby."

Her eyes were closed as she rocked back and forth on her chair.

There was silence.

Long moments past in which Leyana couldn't hear her own heartbeat, nor the songs of the birds, nor Obi-Wan's breath. It was deathly quiet.

"Golden slumber kiss your eyes…"

The simple lullaby wrapped around Leyana like a sinister taunt, flooding her veins with ice.

"Neela-"

"Hush."

Neela up a single finger, staying the words on Leyana's lips.

"What is it?" Obi-Wan whispered.

"Can't you hear them?" she asked.

"Hear who?"

She tipped her head back, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"The lost souls," she breathed. "They are calling, calling to me. But I cannot help them."

She opened her eyes suddenly, leaning forward, so her pale, lifeless eyes stared directly into Leyana's.

"I am dying you know. As I grow fainter their connection to me grows stronger. They hope I can take them with me, but the condemned may not pass into the next life."

She began to hum, placing her hands over her ears and shaking her head.

"They won't leave, no they won't go. They tell me things, whisper secrets that I should not know."

Leyana placed a gentle hand on the Seratiniun's arm.

"What do they tell you Neela? What do they say?"

Neela yanked her arm back from Leyana's touch as if burned.

"Are you one of them?" she asked.

She looked so lost, so afraid. Leyana reached out to comfort her, but Obi-Wan pulled her back.

"This is getting us nowhere," he said softly. "Remember what Landoor said about her illness, "removes rational thought, messes up the brain". She's talking nonsense."

"Just wait a little longer, I think she may be able to tell us something."

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows slightly. "You believe she can hear these…spirits?

"I'm not sure," Leyana admitted. "Please, just a little longer?"

Obi-Wan held his hands up in surrender, and Leyana turned back to Neela, kneeling slowly infront of her.

"Neela," she said gently. "We need you to help us. We need you tell us about Crea, about your husband."

Neela didn't reply for a moment, eyes closed, face impassive. Finally, she opened her eyes and stared into Leyana's gaze.

"They want me to help you," she whispered. "They want me to show you."

She stood.

"Follow me."

She led them from the room, through the deep red hallways, up a grand sweeping, staircase. The corridor above was a rich yellow with doors on either side, ornate, beautiful doors. She stopped infront of the grandest set, tall, perfectly carved, finest wood.

"Wait here."

She closed the doors behind her.

Leyana glanced at Obi-Wan.

"Do you think it's anything?"

Obi-Wan sighed. "I hope so."

* * *

Neela could feel that something was wrong.

The voices were shouting, screaming, desperate to be heard over one another, but she could not make out what they were saying. She wavered slightly, hand reaching out to steady herself on the wardrobe. She had to make it to the bookcase. The bookcase.

Slow, concentrated steps across the room, one foot infront of the other.

Don't listen, don't listen.

The bookcase.

Her hand, shaking, reached for the books, pushing novels and volumes aside, thudding to the floor.

Don't listen.

Behind the books, there it was. 

Slim, blue, innocent looking.

Who knew it could hide such destruction, such pain?

She turned, preparing to make the walk back, to finally give it all up.

She stopped.

In that moment it became clear what the voices were saying, became clear that she would not make that walk back. Became clear that she was about to die.

"No," she whispered. "No. Not you. Please, not you."

The figure stepped towards her, smiling, terrifying.

"I've been waiting for you, Neela."

* * *

There was no scream, no warning of any kind.

They didn't feel the danger, feel the darkness on the other side of the door.

They heard the breaking of the huge glass window.

They felt Neela's fear as she fell. 

They heard her body break on the ground far, far below.

And as they entered the room, all they saw was a pale blue folder, lying infront of the broken window.

* * *


End file.
